


Let's get lost

by EarthsickWithoutYou



Category: The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Eventual Smut, F/M, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Road Trip, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-17
Updated: 2018-03-12
Packaged: 2019-03-05 21:18:41
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 23,032
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13396422
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EarthsickWithoutYou/pseuds/EarthsickWithoutYou
Summary: By the third time Harry Wells saves Caitlin Snow from an uncomfortable situation, she's sure to realize he's crazy about her...right?





	1. Inside Out

“Dammit,” Caitlin muttered, bringing the Star Labs van to an unintentionally abrupt stop in the parking lot. She peered out the window. Was there any chance she’d actually managed to get the vehicle parked within the correct lines of the space?

She hopped out and crossed her arms, circling the van to discover that as she’d suspected, she had parked in a totally crooked and absurd-looking manner. “This,” she grumbled, “is why I usually take the train.”

“Hey, Snow,” Harry Wells greeted her casually. Caitlin sighed and squeezed her eyes shut to collect herself for a moment before turning to face him. Out of everyone who might have caught her in a particularly embarrassing display of her terrible parking skills, of course it was him.

“Good morning, Harry,” she replied, her eyes sweeping over his attractively tousled dark hair, bright blue eyes, and gorgeous, delectable-looking lips posed in a curious half-smile. Well, she might be frustrated, but that didn’t mean she couldn’t take a moment to appreciate the finer things in life. It was a hot day, and the thin material of his black t-shirt was already clinging slightly to his chest, his arm muscles flexing just a bit as he flipped his jacket over one shoulder. All in the space of a moment, she analyzed these factors, plus the way her feelings for him seemed to intensify every single time she saw him, impossible as that sounded. She felt sweat gathering above her mouth and at the back of her neck, and God help her, she let out a nervous giggle.

Caitlin Snow normally prided herself on not being all that given to nervous giggles, but Harrison Wells could turn her inside out very, very easily.

 _I can already tell that this is not my day,_ she thought, too helplessly for the thought to even seem dark.

He glanced over at the van, and she felt a low-grade headache starting to threaten. “Okay, okay,” she exploded, “I took the van to pick up some medical supplies for the lab, and quite frankly, I suck at parking.”

“Eh, that’s not your fault,” Harry said, not reacting to her agitated tone, which actually made her feel better about losing her cool. “These spaces are way too close together. Don’t forget, a psychopath designed this place.”

Caitlin’s shoulders relaxed and she laughed, catching sight of his expression changing when he saw that he’d relieved some of her tension, as if this in turn made him happy. His eyes sparkled, taking her breath away just a little. A little too much.

“Want me to fix it?” He reached his hand out for the keys, his fingers beckoning, no big deal. Dr. Harrison grumpy-cynical-egotistical-stormcloud Wells, Mr. Helpful. This seemed to be yet another symptom of how he’d been changing lately. His personality was the same, but his walls seemed less unscalable somehow. A lightness had come into his manner that made it feel easier to get close to him. It was a tempting concept.

“No, that’s okay,” Caitlin said, frazzled, “I can do it, I should try to learn how to park decently anyway, it’s embarrassing.”

“It’s not embarrassing, and don’t be ridiculous, Caitlin, just give me the keys.”

“I’m not ridiculous,” she objected with a small pout as she climbed into the passenger seat beside him. “ _you’re_ ridiculous.” 

He laid his hand on the stick to switch the van into reverse and reposition it. “Well, obviously,” he smirked, “Everyone knows that.”

*********************************************************************

“Self-deprecating humor?” Caitlin asked in mild surprise. “That’s a new one for you, Harry.”

“Heh. Guess so.”

Harry tore his gaze away from Caitlin with great difficulty. She had on one of those outfits again, the ones she wore with alarming frequency. Caitlin knew how to put herself together exquisitely, and of course given that she was naturally a total knock-out, seeing her in that blue and white striped, button-down shirt paired with dark-wash denim short shorts was overwhelming. Surely, he reasoned, it would be overwhelming for anyone with a basic appreciation for human beauty. 

This was the sort of clothing that he wished she wouldn’t wear and simultaneously thanked his lucky stars she did wear. She was breezy and perfect and sexy, humidity-enhanced curls tumbling over her shoulders, eyes wide with self-consciousness at the moment. That was only because she’d been caught _parking badly_ which was too fucking adorable for words. It was damned confusing, the flipflop in his stomach and the dryness in his mouth when he looked at her lately. 

He’d always known she was gorgeous, that he was very attracted to her and needed to be careful about hiding the fact, but lately, he’d found himself slipping up. Harry had gotten comfortable here on this Earth, with his Star Labs friends. He felt accepted, for once. That actually scared him as much as the warmth in Caitlin’s eyes, especially when he realized that the feelings sort of…went together. 

Harry looked in the rear view mirror and righted the vehicle, pulling forward again slightly until it sat neatly between the straight lines of the space. They were still sitting there though, as another few moments ticked by and the sun beat down through the windows. Harry realized his shirt was sticking to his back. _Great, that’s attractive,_ he thought in frustration. Stupid sweat glands. He pinched the fabric to let a little air in and cleared his throat, getting up the nerve to look at her only to find her eyes were already locked on him, watching his movements with interest.

“So,” she resumed awkwardly, “Good, good parking job. Thanks for the help. I think I see how to do it,” she blushed at the phrase and continued quickly, “the right way now. Thanks.”

“You, uh, you said that,” Harry murmured, leaning back to look at her with more open interest of his own, wondering why she was so damn worked up over a little mistake like that. Maybe it was the heat. It certainly must be melting his brain, the way he was acting.

“Right,” she answered, biting her lip as her brow furrowed. “I’m kind of surprised you didn’t make fun of me or anything. Like you would have if you’d seen Cisco parking like an idiot.”

“Of course I would,” Harry chuckled, “I would _torment_ him over it, that would be hilarious.”

Caitlin laughed as if she couldn’t help it, then added, “So why not me?”

“Because,” he answered, not understanding what she even meant, because the answer was so obvious. “It’s like I said before. You’re special, Snow.” Her cheeks reddened. Well, it was supposed to get up to 90 degrees today, so maybe that accounted for her unusual body heat. Right?

One of his hands still gripped the steering wheel pointlessly, and his other landed on his lips with equal lack of purpose. He realized he’d been chewing on his thumb slightly, staring off into the distance to try and find words, then yanked himself back into reality, his head jerking towards Caitlin again. “You, uh, you don’t do anything like an idiot,” he managed.

Harry wished he could punch _himself_ in the face. _Great compliment, jackass,_ he accused himself, but within the same rapid heartbeat, Caitlin had grinned with all the generous, redeeming light of a dazzling sunrise. She looked at him as if he’d just told her what he really thought, that she was the most arrestingly fascinating person in the universe and his heart was hers, completely. 

It felt as though she understood how badly he’d wanted to say something really nice, even if it came out sounding kind of lame. Really lame, he corrected himself, but not without a hint of wry humor this time. Now she was making _him_ feel better.

“Thanks, Harry,” Caitlin beamed, leaning in to kiss his cheek. The brisk press of her lips against his cheek left him weak in the knees. Her mouth was very warm, moist with red gloss rendered a little sticky by the heat, her breath lingering by his skin for a second as she noticed the mark she’d left behind. “Oh, sorry,” she laughed breathily, wiping the lipgloss smudge with her thumb, even though he was fairly certain it was tattooed on his soul.

“Hey,” she chirped, her whole mood improved by their interaction for reasons that kind of escaped him. She reached behind him, brushing against his arm and shoulder as he fought to maintain composure, and retrieved a styrofoam tray of cups emblazoned with the CC Jitters logo. “I brought iced coffee. You want one?” They exited the van and he took the tray from her hands, remembering to be a gentleman even though every other modicum of common sense had abandoned his understanding.

“You like it black, right?” She asked when he didn’t respond. They made their way into the building as she plucked at his t-shirt sleeve, her attitude teasing. “Just like your clothes.”

Harry stopped short when she touched him again. What was going on here? He felt like a computer that was crashing, screens flashing with incomprehensible pieces of information all jumbled together, diving into chaos. Was Caitlin attracted to him, or was he misinterpreting her expressions, words, and body language? He went to reply with some witty remark but his mouth just fell open instead. Harry reached deep into his brilliant mind to find the ideal reply, and discovered that it had prepared several phrases for him already: “um, uh, uummmm, and uhhhhhhh.” Yeah, he wasn’t using one of those.

“Guys!” Barry said with infinitely annoying cheerfulness as he came zooming in, skidding to a stop in front of his friends. They almost bumped smack into him. 

“Allen,” Harry growled irritably, “I told you to quit doing that.”

“Sorry, I’m just in a good mood. Being married to Iris, finally having all of that DeVoe drama behind us,” he sighed, a big, goofy grin on his face, “I’ve never been this happy. Iced coffee!” He picked one up and took a sip. “Thanks, Harry.”

“Uh, she brought it,” Harry said, with a nod to Caitlin, “As if I would ever be that thoughtful.” He felt Caitlin’s eyes on him, intently noticing how quick he was to give her credit and compliment her all in one fell swoop. He cleared his throat again, but it was still dry and his heart seemed to have taken up residence there. “We’re happy for you, Allen, just try not to knock us over.”

“You got it,” Barry promised before speeding off again, somehow managing not to spill his coffee, probably because he was actually drinking it. 

Iris swept by merrily, a few file folders in her hand. "I mean, can you blame Barry?" Her broad grin announced a joke. "He's married to _me._."

"Fair point," Caitlin allowed with a smile full of contentment at her friends' wedded bliss, but the look on her face was complicated. There was something a little sad and wistful that snuck into that smile and made Harry take pause. "Coffee?" Iris took one and thanked Caitlin, also seeming to notice her friend's subtle, thinly veiled melancholy, but deciding not to press her about it right at that moment.

“I’m not sure Barry needs more caffeine,” Harry joked, trying to lighten the mood, still feeling weird. He followed Caitlin and Iris as they made a more traditional approach to the lab than Barry had, and he pressed the button for the elevator. 

“Yeah,” Caitlin snorted with overly enthusiastic laughter, “Or sugar.”

“Right,” he concurred, “Although, of course, with his metabolism—”

“Yeah,” she repeated, looking down to realize that her plastic cup of coffee was sweating as well, leaving her hands wet with condensation. She wiped some of it off on her shorts and Harry watched her, making new note of just how short they were and how they hugged her thighs provocatively. She had on chunky-heeled, bronze-colored sandals, showing off her long, beautiful legs. Without meaning to, Harry let out a sigh. 

“Yeah,” Caitlin continued, looking at him in confusion as he stared back, her prisoner, trapped inside her every whim. “With Barry’s metabolism, he could really…”

“…Drink as much coffee as he wants with very little effect,” Harry finished. 

"Mmmhmm, let's just hope Cisco doesn't concoct some super-coffee to actually hype him up, because I do _not_ need that," Iris chuckled. 

The elevator doors opened and Cisco popped out. “Oh, finally, I thought you guys fell down a mine shaft I didn’t know we had on the Star Labs property. Yay, coffee,” he added, reaching out. Harry slapped his hand down.

“Leave one for Caitlin, Ramon,” he insisted. 

“Thanks, Harry,” Caitlin laughed as they all stepped into the elevator. “Again.”

“Jeez, fine. What are you, a knight in shining armor all of a sudden, Grumpy Cat?” Cisco stuck his tongue out at Harry as the elevator began to ascend. Harry rolled his eyes in reply, sipping his black coffee with a satisfied expression.

 _A knight in shining armor,_ Harry pondered. Well, maybe he could be, for Caitlin. That sounded pretty appealing to him. He exchanged glances with her again, trying and failing to guess her thoughts, though her eyes seemed to hold just as much confusion and fraught emotion as his own heart felt. 

_Are you ever going to make your move, Wells?_ He asked himself, having absolutely no idea what the answer was. _Or are you going to keep on wondering forever?_


	2. Call it what you want to

Every time Caitlin went to the supermarket to buy food for one to last the week, she liked to play the theme song from _The Mary Tyler Moore Show_ song in her head. _”You’re gonna make it after alllll,”_ the lyrics reminded her cheerfully. She was a fabulous single woman and she could take on the world by herself.

Yes, of course she could. But that didn’t mean Caitlin wasn’t lonely, and it definitely didn’t prevent her from fantasizing about having someone to come home to, someone special to help her make dinner and later slip into a bubble bath with her, someone…tall, dark, handsome…

Someone, she thought, picking an apple up and setting it back down again indecisively, with adorkable glasses and a smile so rare that bringing it out was a privilege. Maybe someone with a genius scientific mind and heroic instincts he tried to play down with an increasingly unconvincing mask of cynicism. Humility and kindness hiding behind brusque pretenses of uncaring, because it was safe to hide and being vulnerable was terrifying. She knew that feeling so well; it was a thread running through the story of her life, painful but resilient, the only protection she had depended on until gradually, she had learned to rely on her friends to support her through the ups and downs of life. Like her, Harry had recently started to open up and leave off a few layers of armor, and even though he had no idea how much she loved him, seeing this new side of him did make her happy.

Caitlin realized she had been standing there, holding an apple and staring into space, dreaming about Harrison Wells for at least a full minute. _Come on, girl,_ she urged herself, giving her body a little shake. _Wake up, this is silly. It’s never going to happen._ So, then, why was he gazing at her like that today, in the parking lot, and when they walked back into the lab? Caitlin knew that hadn’t just been friendly, platonic looking, _that_ had been full-on gazing. But maybe her hopes were building up her fantasies and trying to fool her mind into believing they could come to life. “Ugh,” she muttered, wishing her thoughts would just shut up at this point.

She practically tossed a few apples and peaches into bags and deposited them in her slender, short cart, the kind that was perfect for a single person like herself and therefore mildly offensive. Making her way over to the frozen foods aisle, Caitlin scanned the selection, looking for her favorite brand of panini and automatically reaching for the boxes.

Then the last voice she really felt like hearing at the moment piped up, shattering the pathetic remnants of peace in her mind. 

“Caitlin,” her mother stated bluntly, as a cold point of fact. She turned around to face Carla, who made no pretense of smiling or pulling her daughter into a hug to commemorate the way they’d run into each other. Oh, hell, no. Carla never changed.

Her mother stood there and regarded Caitlin critically, as per usual, from the messy bun she’d stuck on top of her head when the heat got too much for her to stand having her hair down, to her rolled-up sleeves and the way she was scratching an itch on the back of her calf with one sandal. Meanwhile, Carla looked poised and glamorous in a sleeveless navy blue sheath dress, matching pumps, and elegant pearl earrings.

“Mom,” she replied, fighting the urge to roll her eyes. She made herself step forward, do what was actually appropriate, and kiss her on the cheek. “It’s nice to see you. Been a while.”

“Mmm,” Carla answered. Caitlin saw that her mother’s cart was the big kind, packed with cheese platters, organic fruits and vegetables, fancy pastries, plus steaks with labels that probably said “grass fed” and “black angus” or whatever. She must be having a party soon with her snooty friends. “How is everything going over at Star Labs?”

“It’s going fabulously,” Caitlin replied as smoothly as possible, pasting a fake smile on her face. “We’re doing some amazing work helping new metas get a handle on their abilities and reintegrate into society, plus we’ve brought the crime rate down at crazy-impressive rates over the last six months, in case you haven’t noticed from the news. You know, _after_ we defeated Clifford DeVoe, the Thinker, and saved Central City’s population from turning into brainwashed minions for his evil army and all.” 

“Right,” Carla said, smiling back in a distinctly condescending manner. She patted her sleek brunette ponytail and added, “You mean, after _the Flash_ defeated DeVoe, the Flash brought the crime rate down. It must be nice to get a front row seat to all of that, but what are you really doing with your God-given talents, dear? You were not born to be a sidekick, not with your brain for science and medicine.” She saw Caitlin bristling and let out an impatient breath. “Oh, don’t be offended. I know the truth hurts, but I wouldn’t be a very good mother if I didn’t tell it to you.”

Caitlin actually had to laugh at her mother’s unintentionally hilarious words. _A very good mother would be proud of my accomplishments and respect my life choices,_ she fumed internally. However, she’d long since accepted that arguing with Carla was pointless: her mother would absolutely never admit that she was wrong. When the chips were down, she knew her mother loved her, but sometimes that wasn’t enough. It didn’t take the edge off of her cutting, insensitive words, certainly not in the fragile mood Caitlin happened to be in on this particular evening.

“And how are things going with that whole…Frost…problem?” Carla asked, rolling her cart closer.

“Fine,” Caitlin snapped, thinking, _Keep annoying me, Mom, and you’ll get to chat with my alter ego very soon_.

“Oh, I’m so glad, honey,” her mother answered smoothly, trying and failing to use terms of endearment to sugarcoat her obnoxious attitude. “You’ve got enough problems without having to worry about that.”

“Actually, I don’t really have problems,” Caitlin argued, playing with the thin gold bangles at her wrists restlessly before unrolling her sleeves and rolling them back up again, anything to keep herself busy so she didn’t bitch-slap the woman who’d given her life.

“Right, I’m sure. So, are you dating someone?”

Caitlin had always wondered if her mother’s impressive talent for pushing her buttons would ever make her physically explode, but now she decided that if this encounter didn’t do it, nothing would.

“Well, how could you have time for dating, what with running around playing second — or really third — fiddle to that red-suited man-child, letting your promising career go stale on the back burner? And who would really be attracted to that?” Carla pursed her lips, everything in her tone expressing concern, but her words so offensive that Caitlin was about to lose her temper, big time.

“You know what, Mom,” she began loudly, pointing aggressively at Carla and preparing to tell her exactly what she thought of her mean, know-it-all behavior.

But right at that moment, a strong, reassuring arm encircled Caitlin’s shoulders, familiar fingers falling long and elegant against the collar of her shirt and the bare skin just beneath it. Her heart seemed to actually stop for several seconds. She knew that arm, that hand, the body that she instinctively leaned into, and she definitely knew whose sexy voice chimed in, “I’m sorry, baby, I’ve looked all over this whole store, and I _cannot_ find that local farm-derived goat’s cheese you wanted.” 

_Harry?_ What was he doing here, and more to the point, what was he _doing?_

Sure she’d been sucked into the Twilight Zone, Caitlin looked up with huge eyes as Harry regarded her with what looked for all the world like genuine regret that he hadn’t found fictional cheese. _”Baby?”_ Her brain repeated in disbelief. Was her underwear actually getting wet? Holy shit, she had to remind herself that her mother was standing right there. Dammit!

“Wh-what?” Caitlin stammered, but Harry winked at her with a contented smile.

“Can we just get the generic brand? I know it’s not your favorite, but they do have those water crackers you’re so crazy about. Ohhh, hello there,” Harry grinned, keeping his arm around Caitlin as he reached out to shake Carla’s hand. Caitlin had to take a moment of satisfaction from the look of surprise on her mom’s face. She held back a giggle, starting to relax into the ruse Harry had initiated.

“I’m Harrison Wells.” He glanced around and took off his black baseball cap, ruffling his hair to straighten it out, which only made it messier. Carla shook his hand with a perplexed look.

“You’re the one from Earth-2,” Carla recalled. 

“Yeah, not the villainous, ‘I will destroy you, Flash,’ one,” Harry replied, laying on a thick, deep, _evviilll_ tone of voice as he imitated Eobard Thawne. “I’m just your friendly neighborhood award-winning scientist, master engineer and inventor. And of course, the man who gets the exquisite privilege of calling your beautiful and brilliant daughter my girlfriend.”

“Well,” Carla huffed, “I had no idea you were involved in a new relationship, Caitlin, but I suppose that’s typical.”

Harry ignored her chilly demeanor and said jovially, “It’s so great to see you! How are you doing? We’ve been meaning to have you over for dinner, haven’t we, Cait?”

Caitlin took her confused, inconveniently aroused feelings and used them to fuel a big grin. This time, though, it wasn’t a fake smile. “That’s right, sweetie,” She answered, slipping her arm around Harry’s waist. He was warm to the touch, his stomach slim and firm beneath her nervous fingers. And he smelled of the world’s most enticing aftershave, manly and just exactly spicy enough to make Caitlin want to put her lips all over his body.

She blinked at her mother, lost in some blissful daze as Carla stared at them like they were a peculiar specimen under her microscope.

“How thoughtful,” Carla finally said blankly. “Listen, I’m having some people up to my cabin in Vermont this weekend. It’s nice and cool there, and this seemed like an ideal hot weather spell to take a break from. You two should come. Stay for a couple of nights. It would be…lovely to have you.” 

Caitlin couldn’t tell why her mother _really_ wanted to invite them. Based on past precedent, it probably landed somewhere between detached, clinical curiosity and a sense of obligation.

“Who else is going?” Caitlin asked as Harry continued to smile pleasantly, now massaging her shoulders. _I am actually going to melt,_ she realized, _I am going to be a puddle on the floor if he doesn’t stop doing that._

“Oh, just some colleagues of mine. Impressive individuals in their respective fields, _truly_ brilliant minds. Good connections for you to be making, Caitlin.”

Ah, so there it was. This was at least as much about trying to force Caitlin to expand her LinkedIn network as it was about getting to know her new “boyfriend” and spending time with her daughter, whom she hadn’t bothered to contact in months.

“Thanks anyway, but I—we can’t make it,” Caitlin began, but Harry shook his head.

“We’d be delighted,” he announced confidently. “Thank you so much for thinking of us. A weekend away sounds like a great way to get this one to relax and just enjoy life for a while.” He stroked her back and Caitlin had to swallow back a low moan, her skin prickling pleasantly. “I, for one, think that’s exactly what this special lady deserves, don’t you, Ms. Tannhauser? To be pampered and appreciated?”

Carla gave Harry a downright accusatory look, seeing right through his light words to the true meaning he was conveying, that she didn’t appreciate her daughter or treat her as she deserved. “You can call me Carla,” she snapped coldly, “And I’ll send you the address, Caitlin. We’ll see you at the cabin on Friday.”

“Fun-fantastic,” Caitlin blathered woodenly, “I mean, that’s fantastic, Mom. What, uh, what fun that will be.” She pumped her fist in the air for some reason, but then she noticed that Carla had already left, shaking her head disapprovingly and rolling her cart to the register.

She stood there still intertwined with Harry until she saw that Carla had definitely stopped paying attention. Then she stepped out of his half-embrace with a flabbergasted expression.

“Harry, what are you _doing_?” She asked in a near-panic. “Why are you pretending to be my boyfriend, and what the hell did you just get me into?”

He shrugged somewhat apologetically, slipping his baseball cap back on. “I happened to be here at the store, you know, grabbing a few things — a man cannot live on Big Belly Burger alone, and trust me, I’ve tried, so I know — and, uh, I overheard you talking to your mom.”

“So? Why not just come over and say hi or something?” She shoved him lightly, torn between frustration and gratitude.

“Because,” he said in a more forthright tone, “I didn’t like the way she was talking to you. In fact, I hated it. I know what it’s like to have other people look down on you, and that’s the last thing you should have to deal with. Least of all from your own family.”

“Oh,” Caitlin replied, her cheeks hot despite the air conditioning that was on full blast and the fact that they were standing in front of a row of freezers. “That’s, uh, that’s really sweet of you, Harry. But we can’t really go up to Vermont and keep this whole act going for a whole weekend. You realize that, right?”

“Well, Snow, I realize no such thing,” Harry teased, his husky voice carrying a flirtatious tone that seemed to caress her skin without his ever touching her. “I’m game if you are.”

“But, why?” 

“Come on, Caitlin, what are friends for? Let’s go needle your mom and teach her a lesson about criticizing your life. It’ll be fun.”

“I should have known this was all about your favorite hobby of annoying people,” Caitlin smirked.

Harry stuck his hands in the pockets of his black jeans and made a big show of looking around at the array of pasta dinners, bagged shrimp, and quesadillas. “You can call it that if you want to, Snow,” he finally replied, the suggestive glint in his eyes driving her a little crazy.

She had to know what that look was really about. Maybe there was only one way to find out. 

“Fine,” she decided, a loose tendril of hair escaping her clip. She swept it back and almost got her finger stuck in her dangling earring. _Whoops._ “You talked me into it.”

Harry smiled and nodded, then glanced over at her cart, which held only apples, peaches, several pre-packaged salad bowls, and ten frozen paninis. “They were, uh, having a sale,” she lied lamely to hide her addiction to microwaved flatbreads.

“Are they really?” His face lit up, surprising her yet again. “Fresh-Delite paninis are my favorite. Although! Whatever happened to the Philly Cheesesteak flavor, huh? I can’t find it anywhere, not in weeks. I mean, look, I like chicken and mushroom as much as the next person, but the steak and cheese one is far superior, am I right?” 

“Right,” Caitlin nodded. He actually _was_ right; this was freakishly uncanny. “They aren’t really having a sale,” she admitted wryly, letting her guard down. “I just really love these.”

“Me, too,” Harry agreed, nodding at her cart. “But let’s not stop there.” She raised her eyebrows questioningly. “Well, we need to stock up on the Combos and Toblerones, Snow. We’re going on a road trip!”


	3. Everything has changed

“So,” Harry greeted Caitlin when he picked her up at her apartment building. He leaned back against the rental car and took a sip of water from a large travel bottle. She tried not to stare as some of the liquid dribbled down his chin, sliding over his lips before he wiped it away with the back of his hand. Without even meaning to, she licked her own lips as a natural reaction to this _very_ thought-provoking sight. “Based on what I’ve seen of your skills, I take it I’ll be driving.”

Caitlin swatted his arm on the way to the trunk, where she deposited her suitcase before turning back to face him. “Keep talking like that and I’ll make sure we listen to Lady Gaga, and _nothing but_ Lady Gaga all the way to Vermont.”

Harry paused, his brow furrowing. “You wouldn’t do that, Snow.”

“Oh, yes I would,” Caitlin grinned, opening and closing her outstretched fingers invitingly. “Keys.”

“You know we’ll have to switch off eventually,” Harry reminded her, settling into the passenger seat. “It’s a twenty hour drive. You have to sleep sometime.”

“Theoretically,” Caitlin joked as she began driving, but she couldn’t help thinking back to the last three nights of wretched insomnia. She’d been so nervous about this trip that she’d tossed and turned for hours on end. _I can’t go on like this, in this state of suspense,_ she thought now. _At some point over this weekend, I’ve got to say something to him, rip the bandaid, put my cards on the table…_

She glanced over at Harry, feeling physically drained as every last metaphor she might have added to the list just evaporated from her mind. He was wearing a grey t-shirt and blue jeans, deceptively simple attire that showed off his body to the hilt, and while she was certain there couldn’t actually be bioluminescence in his eyes, it seemed otherwise as he gave her an encouraging look.

“Don’t worry, Snow, this is going to be good for both of us. I need to get out in the world more, you know? I’ve seen next to nothing of this Earth when you stop to think about it. And you, you need to stop letting your mother push you around and learn to relax.” He unwrapped a candy bar, seeming completely at ease.

“I know how to relax,” she argued, “And I certainly don’t need advice on that subject from possibly the number one most pent-up, brooding person I know.”

“Touché,” he replied with a soft chuckle. “Sometimes I think it takes one to know one, actually.” Harry paused as his words sank in, and Caitlin took her eyes off the road ahead for a beat to see him gazing at her pensively.

_Touché indeed._ Why did it seem like he could see right through her, but she couldn’t manage the same trick with him?

“But you know,” Harry resumed, “I’m trying to work on that. Be less darkly taciturn, though no less brilliant.”

“And as humble as ever,” Caitlin cracked.

“Check this out,” Harry added proudly, gesturing at his outfit. “I’ve introduced other colors to my wardrobe.” Caitlin yanked the black baseball cap from his head and tossed it into the backseat.

“That’s better,” she declared as he laughed again. He unhooked a pair of black aviator sunglasses from his shirt and slid them onto his face, dually making her immediately want to be able to see his eyes again, and marvel at how maddeningly fantastic the man looked in the shades. 

“And I’m trying to be more understanding with Jesse,” he elaborated. “Give her space. We still talk, most days, but I just focus on being supportive and keeping all my nosy, overbearing questions and comments to myself.”

“Wow,” Caitlin remarked, impressed. “And how’s that been going?”

He shrugged. “I think she can see I’m making an effort. After being over here, away from her for so many months, it started to occur to me that we _both_ needed our space. There’s no more Zoom breathing down our necks, no more imminent crisis requiring me to be in super-Dad mode at all times. Jesse’s a grown woman, she’s in total control of her life and her powers. Maybe…it’s time for _me_ to get a life, you know? Stop finding excuses not to.”

Caitlin’s heart skipped a beat. Surely, that “life” would include dating. What would happen if she just…asked him out? Right here, right now, when he’d given her an opening to do so with what he’d just mentioned.

“Harry,” Caitlin said, grateful for the protective shade of her own sunglasses. The look in her eyes probably carried novels worth of vulnerable meaning. 

“Mmm?” He asked, chewing thoughtfully, turning his eyes from the view of bland highway scenery passing by and noticing how serious her face had become.

She faltered. “Uh, I think that’s great. You deserve a life, Harry. It’s about time.”

“Thank you, Caitlin,” he said in an adorably earnest way. He held a segment of the candy bar out to her. “Toblerone?”

“No, thanks. Do you ever eat anything remotely healthy?” 

“Overrated,” he explained simply, and she laughed.

“How do you stay so…” Caitlin stalled. Oops. She’d been about to blurt, “How do you stay so fit?” But that indicated that she’d noticed the amazing shape he was in. Admitting as much would raise other questions that made her want to pull the car over, leap out and go find a rock to hide under.

“What?” he asked, almost as though he wasn’t aware of his beguilingly firm physique.

“Nothing, it’s just that you must need to go to the dentist a lot,” Caitlin covered unconvincingly.

“Not really. I’m pretty good about brushing my teeth,” Harry responded, looking at her with curiosity, catching onto the awkward way she was acting.

 _It’s going to be a long drive,_ Caitlin worried, staring ahead at the seemingly endless road.

She couldn’t have been more wrong.

The longer they drove, the more she started to sink into the natural chemistry between them, which made their conversation fun, sizzling with wit and humor. They had so much in common, and work jokes soon had them both nearly doubled over, Caitlin constantly reminding herself to watch the road carefully. Harry Wells was a very distracting passenger.

He was even distracting once he’d fallen asleep, a peaceful and innocent expression on his handsome face. She couldn’t help glancing over a few times just to take in the reality of his nearness. They’d never been alone like this before. He nestled into the seat, his cheek against the headrest as her fingers reached out to caress his cheek with a whisper-soft touch, right by his temple where his hair was just starting to go grey. Caitlin loved everything about him from head to toe, and it terrified her.

Before Caitlin even knew what happened, the day had faded into night. She pulled into a rest stop, and after they grabbed a bite to eat at the diner there, Harry put gas in the car. It was time for Harry to take over driving, so Caitlin slid into the passenger seat, blinking at the black hoodie he handed to her. 

“Here, you can use this as a blanket,” he suggested, seeing her exhausted look. “There’s a motel coming up pretty soon and we can settle in there for the night, but you can still get an hour of sleep in before that.”

“Harry,” Caitlin murmured with a sleepy smile, “Thank you for coming with me. I’m having fun.” Her eyes drifted shut as she snuggled into his sweater, breathing in his scent. Being with Harry today had been the opposite of nerve-wracking. In fact, he was making her feel so much better that she wished they could stay in this perfect fake dream of togetherness forever.

****************************************************************************  
Harry parked at the motel and glanced ahead to see that the front desk was immediately in front of them. Great: not far for him to go in order to procure a room for the night. There was no way he was going to disturb Caitlin now. She looked like an angel, but what else was new? Her slumber was deep and profound, and he could tell from this and a few other signs of exhaustion that she hadn’t been sleeping well lately. Why? It bothered him. He wished he could make everything perfect for her.

After getting them a room, he opened the passenger side door and lifted Caitlin out very gently. She made no objection, simply sighing sweetly, her face snug against his shoulder. Harry carried her inside, pulled down the covers, and laid her down, slipping off her sandals and then arranging the sheets and blankets for optimum comfort. He stood there and smiled at her rather wistfully for a minute or so before heading to the bathroom to change into his pajamas. Then Harry gathered up the extra blankets he’d requested from the front desk, plus the other pillow from the bed, and laid down to sleep on the floor beside her. 

Curling his arm under his head, he looked up at Caitlin, remembering the way it had felt in the store a few days ago, pretending that they were a couple. He had loved it so much. Calling her “baby”; hearing her call him “sweetie.” All those dumb, cheesy things that people in love said and did, even the really drippy pet-names and habits that annoyed other people. For some reason, the idea of being with Caitlin someday had Harry realizing that he wanted all that stuff with her. But could it ever become more than an act, more than an unspoken wish? He just couldn’t figure out how she felt, or get up the courage to ask. Frustration over the matter had been driving him bonkers of late, but spending this day with Caitlin had the unique effect of untying him from some of the tangles he’d worked himself into. 

Harry decided that he was absolutely, definitely, going to ask Caitlin out for real by the end of the weekend. He just had to wait for the ideal moment to come along and _do it,_ already, dammit. In the meantime, he gazed at her with a contented smile until sleep tugged him back into unconsciousness. “Goodnight, baby,” he murmured before surrendering.

******************************************************************************

“Harry?” Caitlin said in groggy confusion as she awoke the next morning. She realized immediately that she wasn’t in the car. Instead, she was snuggled up in a strange bed, still wearing her shorts and blouse from the day before. “Where are we?” 

She couldn’t suppress an enormous grin when she looked over and saw him still fast asleep on the floor of the motel room, wearing a white v-neck tee and pajama pants with quadratic equations printed on them. He was the cutest, and that was all there was to it. She reached one foot out and nudged him firmly. “Harry!”

“Whaaaat,” he murmured, sitting up and stretching, squinting up at her. She grabbed his glasses from the bedside table and passed them to him. 

“Where exactly are we?” She composed her face in a prim and proper attitude, sitting up rail straight.

“The motel, of course.” He rolled his head around his shoulders and added, “I can go get us some coffee and breakfast before we head back out. It’s not too far now to your Mom’s place.”

“Um, Harrison Wells, I think you’d better explain to me right now how I got out of the car and into this bed,” Caitlin insisted, forcing herself not to laugh at his immediate reaction of self-conscious alarm.

“Oh, I, ehhh…I carried you. Sorry if that was wrong of me. Are you mad?” He was clearly mortified at the thought that she might see this as a violation of her personal space.

“I’m furious,” She giggled, sliding out of bed to land on the floor beside him, fixing his perplexed face with a teasing, affectionate gaze. “Just kidding. That was the best sleep I’ve had in ages. Harry to the rescue, yet again.”

“That wasn’t a rescue, that was just being courteous. The next time I save you, you’ll know it.” He grinned irrepressibly, reminding her of pure sunshine. Something in his eyes said, _I’ll always be there to save you._

Her stomach somersaulted, but the feeling was one of complete bliss, compelling her to reach out and hug him. When they parted, he looked at her in amazement and Caitlin allowed herself the luxurious risk of raking her fingers through his hair. 

“I’m going to take a shower,” she announced cheerfully, padding off to the bathroom as he watched her, an intrigued smile playing about his lips. 

*********************************************************************************

Caitlin let out a happy, fluttery breath as the hot water pelted down around her a little too harshly from the cheap showerhead. She didn’t care that this was hardly the Ritz. Everything about this road trip was flawless to her. She used the tiny, freesia-scented bottles of shampoo and conditioner she’d packed, feeling a sensual little thrill as her fingers lavished the soap against her soft hair and scalp. Then she squeezed vanilla body wash onto a loofah and gently, slowly ran the fluffy sponge all over herself, making sure she spared no attention to making her skin as smooth as possible. That wasn’t the only reason for her lazily tactile behavior during this shower, and she knew it very well. She was buzzing with the feelings Harry aroused in her, letting her mind wander until she imagined his hands on her body, tracing the areas her fingers traipsed across, moist and daring. Caitlin sighed dreamily, but soon her sighs grew deeper and sharper as fantasies about Harry filled her lovedrunk mind, motivating her hands.

 _Okay, well. Good thing Harry went to get breakfast and didn’t hear any of the noises I just made,_ Caitlin pondered with a sheepish, somewhat satisfied smile as she shut the shower off a few minutes later. Everything was changing. This time yesterday, the idea of him ever knowing what she’d just done would have horrified her, but now wondering what he might think of it just turned her on even more. How had they come so far over one day and a night? Did he feel the difference, the new closeness between them and the freedom it brought, the way she did? She dried off her hair and looked in the mirror, biting her lip as an important question occurred to her. What should she wear?

Deciding on an olive green sundress of soft jersey fabric with a low sweetheart neckline, Caitlin pulled it on, then wandered distractedly out of the bathroom and ran a hand through her hair, shaking it out a bit. She opened her suitcase and found a pair of sandals to match, sliding her feet into them as Harry came back in, juggling coffee cups and paper bags from the donut shop next door.

“Wow,” he said guilelessly as he set the cups down and unrolled one of the bags, “You look great.”

“Compliments? That’s another new one,” Caitlin winked. “Thanks for getting breakfast.”

“They didn’t have anything healthy,” Harry explained, still looking her up and down, blushing slightly. “I got you a croissant.”

“I’m not a total heath food nut,” she reminded him, zipping her suitcase back up. “Remember the paninis? I just don’t survive on junk food alone, unlike some other people I know.” Harry looked down at the donut he was about to eat. She’d started to realize that knowing him, he probably bothered to eat so infrequently throughout the day and in such small amounts that his junk food habit could never lead to weight gain. It was obvious to Caitlin that it had been quite a while since he’d had anyone in his life to keep an eye on his bad habits, and she liked the way it felt to step into that job.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” he joked. He put the donut down and reached into the other bag, plucking off a piece of croissant and bringing it over to her. “Come on, everyone likes something sweet once in a while and I bet you’re no different.” Her eyes widened as he held the croissant to her lips, prompting her to open them so he could place it on her tongue. Their eyes remained locked as she tasted the airy pastry and tried to remember how to breathe. “See what I mean?” Harry asked in a low, seductive tone.

“I do,” she admitted finally, passing him the keys. She watched him look down at the donut, trying to decide if he should still eat it, and she couldn’t even believe that such an enormous goofball was also so unceasingly sexy and fascinating. “Mind driving again? This time, I think I’d like to just enjoy the view.”

“I don’t mind at all, Snow,” Harry answered.


	4. It's my emotions, going in for the kill

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry in advance for the cliffhanger. Chapter 5 will hopefully be worth it ;D and it will be coming soon.

“This is what your mom refers to as a ‘cabin’?” Harry asked incredulously, looking around as they came through the front door, which had been left open for the weekend guests.

Caitlin scanned the open plan dining area and living room. Hardwood floors gleamed, topped by rustic-chic furniture in shades of warm cherry-wood, the easy chairs that surrounded the coffee table upholstered in grey, red and beige plaid. The stone fireplace was immense, the built-in bookcases overflowing with volumes, and from the high ceiling, a chandelier made from what looked like half of a small tree dangled. “ _Yup,_ ” she confirmed after reacquainting herself with the place.

Everything seemed welcoming and cozy, but just a little too unused, like one might find a price tag or two still dangling off of items. There were no photos of family and friends to personalize the space, either. Caitlin hadn’t been up to the “cabin” in a few years, yet not one minuscule arrangement appeared to have been altered in her absence.

“Caitlin,” Carla said with a forced smile as she came in, air-kissing her daughter’s cheeks before doing the same to Harry. “I’m so glad you’re both here,” she added, and at least that sounded genuine. It made Caitlin’s wariness towards her mother abate for the moment. 

“Us, too,” she answered, noticing Carla’s eyes travel curiously to Harry, who held Caitlin’s suitcase in one hand and her fingers in the other. “Dr. Wells, it’s a pleasure to see you again. Let me show you your room.” Caitlin’s heart skipped a beat. Well, of course they’d be sharing a room. What had she expected her mother to think?

Carla led them up a winding staircase, another type of thing that didn’t really scream “cabin,” except that it was made of artificially aged-looking wood. She continued talking in a calm, nonchalant tone, strangely absent of enthusiasm or room for doubt that her plans for the weekend would be utterly fascinating to her guests. “I’ve invited the team from my lab, and so far only one of them has arrived, but we’ll all be together by dinnertime. I’m expecting some lively conversation, as we’re making some amazing progress towards solving paralysis. Caitlin, you’ll be astonished to hear about it, I’m sure.”

“Oh, yes, surely,” Caitlin responded drily, noting her mother’s implication that her own work was far more important than anything the Star Labs team could aspire to. Yes, of course, it did sound fantastic, but why did that have to lesson Caitlin’s own accomplishments? “Mom, how many bedrooms are _in_ this place? I haven’t been here in so long that I don’t remember.”

“Oh, it’s only seven,” Carla clarified, and Harry mouthed “Only seven” at Caitlin, making her swallow back a giggle.

An unassuming-looking middle-aged man came out of one of the other rooms, folders piled in his arms, a mug of coffee unwisely propped on top. He came to the realization that he had no way of closing the door just as he saw the others coming towards him. “Hi, Carla,” he said pleasantly, his grey eyes lighting up as if seeing her was an unexpected and delightful surprise. “I’m afraid I’ve planned this all very badly.”

“You’ve planned it all very badly?” Carla repeated, looking her colleague over in disapproval. His shirt didn’t match his tie, and papers stuck out of his folders at odd angles. “You mean, your plan to come out of your room and close the door behind you?”

The man blushed and Caitlin felt badly for him. Despite her mother’s typically condescending manner, he was gazing at her like she hung the moon. “Yes, that’s it exactly. I’m afraid it’s not going to work out,” he said with a touch of gentle humor.

“I got it,” Caitlin smiled, leaning over to close the door. She held out a hand. “I’m Caitlin, Carla’s daughter.”

“Brennan Collingsworth,” the man replied with an intrigued smile. He went to shake Caitlin’s hand, causing Harry to swoop in and grab the mug before it smashed to the floor. “I work with your mother. So, I’m finally getting to meet Carla’s brilliant bioengineer daughter. It’s truly a privilege. She has nothing but glowing things to say about you, dear.”

“Really?” she asked in surprise, glancing at Carla, who looked quite annoyed by the exuberant description. Caitlin didn’t know what to think of this whole vibe, so she cleared her throat, cutting through the awkwardness by adding, “This is Dr. Harrison Wells, he’s my…” Oh, there was the awkwardness again. It took a three-second break, but it was back and going strong.

“I’m her boyfriend,” Harry put in, shaking Brennan’s hand. Since the introductions were complete, he decided it was safe to pass the mug back over to their new acquaintance. “It still makes her a little shy to introduce me that way. Isn’t she the sweetest?” He grinned at Caitlin, who pondered punching him in the arm but ultimately decided against it. She might be a little irritated that he described her as though she was a particularly fluffy puppy dog, but on the other hand, she wouldn’t mind hearing him say “I’m her boyfriend” another million or so times.

“That’s right, sweetie,” Caitlin replied, honey dripping from her tone. She wrapped an arm around Harry’s waist, enjoying his slightly overwhelmed expression in response to this. That was so good that she laid her hand lightly on his chest as well. “You’re just so wonderful that it’s more than I can handle sometimes.” She batted her eyelashes at Harry, who realized that their sickly-sweet declarations had officially become a secret battle of words.

“No,” Harry insisted, squeezing her affectionately, “ _You’re_ wonderful, baby. I’m not even 1.7 percent as wonderful as you are, and it’s just a constant mystery to me that I landed such a completely stunning masterpiece of a woman.”

“Wow, that’s, uh, that’s intense,” Brennan remarked. “You two certainly have stars in your eyes when you look at each other. You should hold onto that.”

“Oh, I intend to,” Harry said smugly as Caitlin nodded emphatically.

“With everything we have,” she added, enjoying the game a little too much.

“Give me a break,” Carla complained. “Please, Brennan, just go about your business and stop trying to be social before you break something. And the two of you, try to control your effusiveness like the adults you are. You’re acting like infatuated teenagers.”

Brennan gave them a friendly smile, letting Carla’s words bounce off of him. _That’s a unique talent,_ Caitlin thought, _Wish he could teach it to me._

“I’ll see you at dinner,” Brennan said, waving to them and sloshing coffee on the floor. “I’m going to clean that up,” he said to Carla, who merely blinked at him before turning on her heel.

“This way,” Carla indicated smoothly, opening a door to reveal a beautiful room, all decorated in shades of rust-red and white, the plaid duvet and matching recliner making her mom’s continued commitment to cozy country design all too clear. Caitlin had to admit that as un-lived in as the rooms were, Carla’s taste was impeccable, displaying a certain wistfulness that was otherwise entirely concealed in her personality. 

Harry tucked their bags away in the corner right next to the fireplace, drawing Caitlin’s eyes to its existence, as well as the white fur rug that lay in front of it. She felt her cheeks grow warmer as she realized that this bedroom just happened to look like a scene from a romance novel waiting to happen. Not that Caitlin would know anything about such literature…aside from the five or so well-worn volumes currently living in her bedside table drawers at home.

“I hope you’ll find it comfortable,” Carla said, glancing around with an unusual expression. Caitlin considered it for a beat and decided that her mother had forgotten how much she liked this room and was anxious for someone else to admire and enjoy it, too. _The softer side of Carla,_ she marveled, _who would have thunk it?_

“It’s gorgeous, Mom,” Caitlin replied warmly, noticing out of the corner of her eye that Harry was looking around, chewing one side of his bottom lip, pulling it under his teeth in a deep trance of thoughtfulness. She poked him playfully in the side. “Right, sweetheart?”

Harry gave a small startle and his pensive face gave way to another sunshiny smile, the kind that utterly mismatched his former pretenses of eternal cynicism and made her spine tingle.

 _Caitlin Snow died on July 5, 2018,_ she thought tartly, _Cause of death: Harrison Wells’ dimples._

“Absolutely, darling,” Harry replied obliviously, “it’s perfect. Thank you so much for your hospitality, Carla.”

“Well,” Carla blurted, “Well. Anyway, dinner is at six sharp, and be ready for a stimulating dialogue. You might even start thinking about shaking up that stagnated career of yours, Caitlin.” She headed out, Caitlin replying only with a shrug. Her mom, despite whatever indications of her better qualities she chose to display, was definitely not going to drop that subject anytime soon.

“It’s really nice of you to let your mom lay into you like that over your job,” Harry began, “But I’m not sure I can listen to her go on in that vein much longer. Doesn’t she know how much you’ve accomplished, the things you’ve done that ensured our survival and Central City’s, when no one else could have thought their way out of some of these crazy situations we’ve been through? God, that’s frustrating.”

Caitlin wondered if she was ever going to stop blushing or if her cheeks were going to remain in their current fluctuation between pink and scarlet until such time as Harry was out of her sight. She sat down on the bed and replied simply, “Eh. I appreciate what you’re saying, but I’ve come to realize that if I’m going to have a relationship with my mom, it’s going to be within her limitations. Not in spite of them, not in defeat of them, but in acceptance. Every time I try to come at this another way, we just end up estranged. And you know, she’s been through a lot…losing my dad hit her so hard.”

Harry sat down beside her, and there went those fingers to his lips again, driving her quietly insane. “Caitlin, you lost him, too, and then Ronnie…you’ve been through some nightmares of your own, more than anyone should have to bear, and you deserve to be admired and valued, not judged. Truth be told, I think that’s the main reason I’m here. If you’d come up here alone, I bet you would have let her talk to you like that all weekend.”

“Harry, that’s sweet, but what are you seriously going to do to stop her? Trust me, I’ve known her my whole life. There is no winning an argument with Carla Tannhauser.”

“Really, Snow? Huh. We’ll just see about that.”

“I don’t think we’re going to see about that,” Caitlin warned, tucking one leg under the other and resting her hands behind her, leaning back to ease some of the tension in her back from spending so much time in the car.

“We’ll see about seeing about that,” Harry teased, then looked over at her reclined figure for a moment too long. He hopped off the bed and opened the sliding doors of the closet. “Great, extra blankets. You take the bed, Snow, I’ll be fine on the floor.”

“Don’t be ridiculous, Harry,” Caitlin argued.  


“I’m not ridiculous, you’re ridiculous,” he retorted automatically. Certain themes were turning habitual between them, and it felt exactly right, like pieces that had always been meant to fall into place.

“Come on, this is the biggest bed I’ve ever even seen in real life. There’s more than enough room for us to share.” She couldn’t quite meet his eyes, so she focused on smoothing out a few nonexistent wrinkles on the duvet.

“Really?” He asked, “Are you sure?” His lips turned up in a smile, but his eyes were full of questions, his expression more serious than their light tone suggested.

“If you don’t shut up about it, I might change my mind,” Caitlin lied.

*****************************************************************************************

“Caitlin, would you mind helping me put some of this food out in the dining room?” Carla asked as her guests filed in for the evening meal, her co-workers a serious, quiet bunch clearly accustomed to following their boss’ lead. 

“I’ll help, too” Harry said eagerly, his eyes such an exact match for the blue button-down shirt he’d changed into that Caitlin almost forgot to check out how flattering his slim-fitting grey dress pants were — _almost_. 

“I can help too,” Brennan offered, setting a glass of champagne down without seeming to notice that it was half-propped up on a folded napkin, ready to cause another incident of upset. Caitlin leaned over and casually slid the glass over to where it would be safer. 

“Please don’t overextend yourself, Brennan,” Carla said dismissively. 

Caitlin’s mouth dropped open. “Mom,” she couldn’t help hissing, only to be ignored.

They followed Carla into the kitchen, whose walls appeared to be made from actual logs, and began lifting trays of appetizers to set out on the long table in the other room. “So, Mom,” Caitlin resumed, “That Brennan guy seems really nice. And actually, he seems kind of into you. Maybe you should try going a little easier on him.”

Carla scoffed, taking plastic wrap off of a cheese platter. “Harrison, please get the shrimp cocktail out of the fridge. Caitlin, that’s atrociously presumptuous and nosy of you. He is most certainly not ‘into’ me, and unlike you, I am capable of having a relationship that _isn’t_ with a work colleague.”

The low blow only proved to Caitlin that she’d hit a nerve, so instead of flinching, she held one finger up to halt the sassy remark which Harry had opened his mouth to say. 

“Really? Are you hiding a partner around here somewhere?” Caitlin adjusted the small container of hummus so that it sat exactly in the center of the vegetables and pita chips. “Is he or she underneath the carrot sticks?” She made a show of examining the veggies more closely.

“If I wanted a partner, I could have one at any time,” Carla snapped. “I don’t appreciate your sarcasm or your insolence.”

“Look, Mom, I’m just saying, it would be wonderful for you to have someone in your life. Maybe I used humor to deflect your frankly offensive comments about my love life, but I genuinely think Brennan seems sweet and very interested in you.” Caitlin watched her mother try to process her words, knowing that her brief allusion to the type of continual criticism Carla lobbed her way had been casually specific enough to make her mother take pause. 

“Oh, for goodness sake,” Carla sighed, aggravated. “The man is unbelievably clumsy and absent-minded, though he is an exceptionally talented biophysicist. And really, what kind of a name is Brennan Collingsworth, anyway? It sounds like the stage name for a Benedict Cumberbatch cosplayer.”

“And you’re saying that like it’s a bad thing?” Caitlin grinned. “I think you should give him a chance.”

“And I think you should keep your opinions to yourself,” Carla snipped. 

Caitlin could actually _feel_ Harry gearing up to retort with something like, “You mean the way you always do, Carla?” God knew she wanted to say it herself. But maybe she was laying the foundation for a better relationship with her mom by letting a few quirks slide. So she shot him a severe look and made the “zip it” gesture with her hand. Harry rolled his eyes and kept his mouth shut until Carla went bustling out of the kitchen again.

“I guess we’re seeing about seeing about letting me handle my mother myself,” Caitlin smirked. She watched as Harry put the shrimp down for a moment to investigate some of the other items still resting under plastic and foil on the counter.

“I’m trying, but she’s a lot to have to listen to,” he murmured before saying in a louder voice of exultation, “Aha! Yes.” He pulled a small, chocolate-frosted cupcake out from one of the covered platters.

“Harry! Those are for dessert. Put that back. Look what I have here. See this red, circular object? It’s called a tomato. You should try it sometime.”

“Hilarious, Snow, but it just so happens that I always get lettuce and tomato on my Big Belly burgers. And _you_ still need to loosen up.” He dipped one fingertip into the frosting and held it out towards her lips. Caitlin fought back the urge to engulf it in her mouth, shaking her head with a laugh. 

“No way.”

“Suit yourself,” he shrugged, inserting the finger into his own mouth and enjoying the frosting as she miraculously maintained the look of amused disapproval she’d placed on her face for the occasion. If he only knew the very bad things she’d thought about him doing with that mouth and those fingers….

“Come on, there’s bacon-wrapped scallops out here,” Caitlin announced over her shoulder, carrying the hummus tray out of the room, “You must like those; isn’t bacon one of your main food groups?”

“So it is,” he enthused, hot on her heels. She dissolved into giggles all over again.

***************************************************************************

Everyone stood around with plates dotted by appetizers, sipping champagne and chatting about the latest developments at Tannhauser lab. Several of the guests seemed to enjoy listening to Carla hassling Caitlin about the comparative shortcomings of Star Labs, watching their employer with simpering deference or else gawking like they were watching a soap opera. However, Brennan and a few other people were very intrigued to hear about Caitlin and Harry’s adventures with the Flash and all of the metahuman-related adventures they’d had. 

“And that’s when Caitlin found the flaw in the formula,” Harry recalled at one point, “She completely reconfigured it until it actually worked and we could subdue the criminal with no problem. Honestly, I’d call it a miracle, but it wasn’t. It was just Caitlin and her genius mind.” 

“Come on, Harry, you helped,” Caitlin argued, kissing his cheek, having spent the last hour completely disregarding the “fake” part of their dating status.

“Impressive,” Brennan smiled, “You must be proud to have such an accomplished daughter, Carla.”

Carla’s smile was forced. “Yes, I am.” She was clearly fuming for some reason, yanking an empty platter from the table and storming back to the kitchen.

“Why does it seem like you’re mad at me?” Caitlin asked, following her.

“I’m not mad, Caitlin, I’m just disappointed. You could be doing so much more with your life.”

“Holy broken record, Batman,” Caitlin joked, “Do you realize that you haven’t stopped telling me that since I first went to work at Star Labs? It’s getting old.”

“We can agree to disagree about your choice of workplace,” Carla allowed, straightening her pearl necklace with a stern look.

“Oooh, thank you so much,” Caitlin snarked, waving her hands around in a false show of overwhelmed gratitude. “It’s amazing, how you seem to think I sit around every day waiting for _you_ to define my own notions of personal success and purpose in life.”

“Maybe if you listened to my opinions a little more, you’d realize how well-intentioned they are, and be humble enough to see the truth in them,” her mother replied, “And why is one of the cupcakes missing?” She examined the dessert platter in confusion.

Caitlin snorted with laughter. “I have no idea.”

Carla gazed at her suspiciously. “You know, I wasn’t only referring to your professional choices. Why are you dating that man, Caitlin?”

Caitlin paused, anger pooling in her stomach. “Why do you think, Mom? And again, what business is it of yours? You barely bother to acknowledge me for months at a time, yet you’re constantly entertaining your snobby little friends. Now you happen to run into me and assume you can start reshaping my life and I’ll actually be grateful?”

“It’s my business because I care for you, Caitlin, and I don’t want to see you get hurt again. Really, where do you see this thing going? Harry Wells is, what, twenty years older than you?” Carla’s know-it-all expression ensured that it was all Caitlin could do to hold Killer Frost at bay.

“I don’t care,” Caitlin replied tightly, holding the counter with all her might in order to control her temper.

“And you work together.”

“I don’t care,” she answered again, blinking back the icy daggers that started to stab into the space behind her eyes, the first symptom of her alter ego’s arrival.

“He can’t even go out in public half the time because anyone who sees him without a full, top secret, multiverse-related explanation thinks he’s a deranged serial killer,” Carla proceeded. 

“I. Don’t. Care!” Caitlin exclaimed, furious. She felt Killer Frost tugging at her consciousness again, and somehow she tamped her back down, hard, using the force of her own rage in a way she’d never known she could. It astonished her for a second, that feeling of defeating the urge to shift. It wasn’t Killer Frost’s power for once, it was Caitlin’s, and it felt damn good, a jolt of satisfaction slicing right through her anger.

“Really, Caitlin,” Carla complained, laying a hand on her heart. “You cannot raise your voice like that in the middle of a dinner party. And to make matters worse, you’re completely misinterpreting my intentions. I’m not trying to ruin anything for you, and I don’t take any pleasure out of making you feel badly.”

She rolled her eyes. “What a joke. That clashes pretty noticeably with your M.O., Carla.”

“I just want you to be happy. And I can tell you right now, with all the common sense of someone who isn’t blinded by emotion on the subject, that this relationship with Harrison Wells is going nowhere. It will only end in heartbreak.”

“Maybe,” Caitlin allowed. “But I really, really, don’t—”

“Yes, thank you, I heard you the first few times. I’m fairly certain they heard you in Alaska. You don’t care. But what I cannot fathom is _why._.” From her more heartfelt tone, Caitlin could tell that her mother was sincere in her concern, so she put her irritated and hurt feelings aside before replying.

“It’s simple, Mom. I love him. I _adore_ him. He’s everything to me.” Caitlin felt a weight come off of her when she finally said the words out loud, but before she could enjoy that feeling, it was replaced by a wave of shocked horror. She’d let her eyes fall on the doorway, only to see that Harry himself was standing there, carrying empty plates, having clearly overheard what she’d just said.

 _No, no, no, no,_ She panicked, again managing to hold Killer Frost back by the barest increment of self control. 

He wasn’t supposed to hear that, not now, not when she meant it so much. They weren’t even really dating and never had — maybe they never would, now that she’d stood there professing her love like a stalker. There could be no possibility that he thought her words sprang from the continuation of the act they had established for the weekend. Caitlin’s honesty was written all over her face. She knew because her face had an annoying habit of doing that. If she was alone in this emotion, despite the flirtation she’d thought he was showing towards her, the humiliation and disappointment his response would bring seemed like the most crushing misery she could imagine.

“Caitlin,” Harry began, looking thunderstruck, but she shook her head.

“Don’t,” she waved him off. “Please, just don’t.” She turned around, hating her own cowardice but too twisted up in emotion to bear this conversation right now. She heard him take a step towards her, and that’s when she ran.


	5. All I wanna do is to fall in deep

Caitlin stood out on the front porch, staring down the gravel driveway that led out to the road back home. She wished she had Barry’s powers for a minute and could just speed away from this painful moment of truth. 

“Beautiful sunset,” Harry remarked, stepping quietly onto the porch. She glanced up at the puffy clouds illuminated in shades of red and gold, the sun sinking into them so peacefully, a release into well-deserved slumber. Of course it was lovely. The world didn’t care that Caitlin was breaking into pieces; it would go on and on long after this weekend had ceased its cruel prank on her heart.

She shivered slightly in the cool evening breeze, not turning around as she replied, “Please, Harry, don’t.” There, she’d said it again. Couldn’t he take a hint?

“I’m sorry, Caitlin, but you’re going to have to be more specific,” he said frankly but gently, taking one more step toward her. “What is it that you don’t want me to do?”

“I, uh…” She swept a tear away from her cheek, pride compelling her to stand her ground and not let him see this. “I don’t want your sympathy, I don’t want to be your charity case, another way for you to continue turning over your new leaf and becoming this nicer guy you’ve decided to be. You can stop rescuing me now, Harry. I need to take care of myself.”

“Sympathy? _Charity?_ ,” Harry repeated incredulously. “What are you talking about?”

“I meant what I said back there,” she admitted, her throat hoarse and sore from sobs she was choking back. “Every word, and that’s my problem, not yours.”

“Why does it have to be a problem at all?” Harry came closer, tentatively resting his arms on the porch rail beside the spot where her trembling hands were clasped. “You don’t feel at all compelled to ask me how I feel about it before you just assume I’m going to be…what, I don’t even know—”

“Weirded out, but too much of a gentleman to say so? Eager to assure me that we’ll always be good friends? Can we please just pretend you never even heard me? If I was going to tell you that, if I was going to say those three words about you, I would have wanted the right to _choose_ for you to hear me.” Caitlin put a hand to her flushed forehead, pressing her lips together, the beat in her heart still speeding up at his proximity. It never learned.

“Hey,” Harry argued, “I’m sorry that I intruded on your conversation. I didn’t mean to. But you’re jumping to all kinds of conclusions without even letting me explain how I feel.”

Caitlin summoned the nerve to look at his face and found that it was intent, a bit anxious, and so handsome that her heart ached. “I’m, uh,” she let out a shaky breath. “I’m trying to give you an easy out here, Harry.”

“I don’t want it,” he insisted, straightening his posture and turning to face her. He rubbed his hands up and down her arms and shoulders. “You’re cold,” he murmured solicitously. Harry’s head dipped towards hers, his mouth so close that his breath caressed her.

Caitlin tilted her face towards him, half-whispering the words, “Stop saving me,” so close to his lips that just one tiny move forward would have been a kiss.

“No,” Harry responded simply. He pressed light, feathery kisses to her cheek, then the corners of her mouth, comforting and teasing all at once. He was peeling away Caitlin’s defenses, the belief that love only brought pain which had rooted itself in her soul more deeply than she’d realized, a cold and mocking cackle reminding her that she should only put herself out there just so much. Falling completely was out of the question. Until now. 

“You can’t love me,” she insisted weakly. Though her fingers were curled into fists, they rose and pressed against his sides, her body straining towards his warmth, his sweetly drifting kisses landing on her jawline, then close by her ear along with his reply.

“I do,” Harry told her implicitly, kissing her lips, tantalizingly restrained, making sure this was okay with her. 

Caitlin kissed him back, and it was so soft, so exquisitely, toe-wrigglingly perfect that she sighed deeply.

“I love you,” he said, kissing her forehead, then her closed eyes, “I adore you.” Their mouths brushed together again, open this time, wetter, making her breath catch. “You’re everything to me,” Harry added, his palm resting on the part of her back left bare above the low scoop of her dress. 

“Harry,” Caitlin answered, somehow audible above the pounding of her heart. She gazed into his eyes and felt free now to say anything and everything. “Another confession?”

“Please.”

“I’ve been pretending we were really in love since we left Central City.” She swept her fingers over his cheek and he took her hand, pressing a kiss into it.

“No one’s been pretending anything,” Harry said huskily. “I’ve been dreaming about asking you out all along.”

“Well, go ahead,” Caitlin grinned tearfully, “I might say yes.”

*******************************************************************************

They’d stood out on the porch, just hugging and staring up at the sky until the stars came out, and then Caitlin reached down to take Harry’s hand. “Let’s go inside,” she said, the excited waver in her voice making his heart leap.

Carla noticed when they came in. She was sitting on the couch, surprisingly close to Brennan, and her other guests were gathered around in the chairs by the fireplace, chatting quietly. She half-rose, an apologetic look softening her normally rigid features. With a small smile and nod to let her mom know they could talk another time, Caitlin continued to lead Harry upstairs. 

“So,” Harry said as a romantic sort of adrenaline coursed through him and made thinking or speaking sensibly a real challenge. 

“So,” Caitlin grinned, closing the door behind them. “I’m gonna take a shower. Do you mind waiting right there?”

“Your wish is my command,” Harry grinned, leaping onto the bed and crossing his long legs, his back resting on the many fluffy pillows that were spread against the headboard. He flipped the tv on and sat there nonchalantly, despite the fact that his skin felt like it was on fire, wondering and waiting for Caitlin, now that the pretense of platonic innocence between them had been dropped.

“That’s what I like to see,” Caitlin said flirtatiously, looking through her suitcase for her p.j.s. She grabbed them and flounced off to the bathroom, but couldn’t help a glimpse back over her shoulder. Harry was making a show of leaning casually against a throw pillow, then sitting up straight again, crossing and uncrossing his legs and noticing that he was holding the tv remote upside down. _Oh, yes, that’s exactly what I like to see,_ she thought with a huge smile.

She reemerged a little while later, flopping down on the bed beside Harry. He’d showered before the party and had changed into his own sleepwear in her absence. In fact, caught up in some kind of boyish panic, he'd rushed down the hall to find another bathroom so he could brush his teeth before she came back out. The first time they'd kissed, they both tasted of strawberries and champagne, which was already a pretty fantastic memory. Still, he had to make sure he was all freshened up and worthy of anything more that might happen between them. Caitlin wore a t-shirt and flannel shorts, her feet bare and her hair only briefly blow-dried, as if she couldn’t wait to get back to him. Harry’s gaze swept from her slightly damp, long locks to her eyelashes batting at him coquettishly, her bare lips parted in anticipation. He thought about pulling that loose shirt even further down her partially exposed shoulder, and of those long, smooth legs wrapping around him. She saw the bright entrancement in his eyes and leaned across him to shut off the lamp.

Caitlin remained in that position, stretched across his torso, and nestled her face against his upper chest. _Should I just…go to sleep?_ Harry wondered, tracing his fingers over her back, finding the line of her spine and fantasizing about kissing and licking that path before grabbing onto her— _Pull yourself together, Wells,_ He cautioned himself. Maybe this was way too soon and too fast, and if Caitlin wanted to take it slow, he would respect that to the utmost extent.

“Mmm…that feels so good,” Caitlin purred as if answering his unspoken quandary. She pressed her lips to his chest above the v-cut of his t-shirt, then looked up at him expectantly. Her body was angled so that she wasn’t directly touching his lower body enough for him to panic about his hard-on. _Should_ he be panicking?

If Harry had learned one damned thing from this whole experience of loving Caitlin Snow and not telling her for over two years, it was this: just say it. Alternatively, of course, he could show it. Either way, he was done repressing the questions about her that burned in his mind.

Putting this conclusion into action, he leaned down and kissed her lips, deliberately teasing, his fingers in her hair until they wandered gently down her body. Instinctively, Caitlin turned onto her back, looking at him in a haze of curiosity and longing. Harry swallowed, still not entirely over his nervousness, and watched her eyes close, her face tilting up as he caressed her neck, then ran his fingers across her collarbone and down over the soft peaks of her breasts. Her breath caught and her already firm nipples hardened, but she made no attempt to take control of the situation, clearly eager to see what he would choose to do next, turned on by the suspense.

Harry liked this very much indeed, so he was careful and gradual as he went on, lifting the bottom of her shirt, his fingers skimming her bare midriff. Rather than touching him, Caitlin held off in order to prolong this playful, yet deeply serious dance between them. Instead, her fingers sank into the pillow as he kissed her stomach. Her skin held the sweetest taste he had ever experienced as he allowed himself the more daring move of licking her there, once, then twice. If she tasted this fucking good there, he could only imagine how it would be when he went down on her. Harry thought about that for one moment too long to stay calm, and a low groan escaped from his throat. 

“Keep going,” Caitlin murmured. Her breathing grew faster, and when he slipped his hand under her shirt to feel her heartbeat, it was galloping at a rate to rival his own. He ghosted his touch over her breasts, cupping them one at a time with loving, luxurious attention. She bit her lip, hips jerking up slightly until he stilled them with a firm yet gentle hold. Harry’s fingers slipped into the front of her shorts, then stroked very lightly over her underwear. The thin, gauzy material was sticking against her most intimate area, glued by her wetness to become a second skin, so that the brush of his hand against her was almost exactly like touching her totally naked. 

“Ahhh,” she said sharply, grabbing the headboard rails tightly. “Please, Harry…”  


Harry couldn’t help teasing her more because they were both so unspeakably aroused by it, but he also knew that his patience was approaching its limit. His erection strained tightly and desperately against his plaid boxers, and he lowered his face, licking the skin above the waistband of her panties. He could smell the mixture of her vanilla and freesia scented skin and her wet desire clinging to the blue cotton where he lingered.

Still, Harry hesitated, almost afraid of how overpowering his feelings were. Looking up at Caitlin, he asked softly, “Do you want this as much as I do?”

************************************************************************************

“Yes,” Caitlin replied with baited breath, “It’s what I’ve always wanted.”

Harry rose up so he could look into her eyes, then kissed her lips. “Me, too,” he whispered, “So much.” Caitlin focused on enjoying each and every kiss to the utmost. She’d thought about it for such a long time, what it would feel like when their tongues swept together, or when she sucked his full, lush lower lip into her mouth, but nothing could have prepared her for the reality. There were too many unanticipated, delectable variables, like the way he tasted like Colgate spearmint, and how that cool flavor contrasted with the eager, hot press and twisting together of their mouths.

Caitlin shifted her fingers on the headboard as he pushed her shirt up over her breasts, her legs starting to tremble, feet kneading the sheets. “You’re so impossibly gorgeous,” he murmured, circling one of her nipples with his tongue and the other with his fingers. She pressed her hips up again, matching the circular pattern, longing to be touched between her legs, but resisting the urge to stretch her own fingers down. Harry took the nipple full on into his mouth, sucking, his hand finally returning to rest above her panties, stroking slowly. He switched his oral attentions to the other breast and Caitlin’s strangled whimpers caused him to growl when he withdrew his mouth. 

They locked gazes again, each of them aware that they weren’t alone in the house and had to maintain a certain level of quietness. In a way, it turned her on, feeling so much and having to convey it using looks and urgent, hushed sounds, but she was also thinking about doing this again sometime soon when they had no such rule holding them back. 

Harry peeled her panties off, then pulled her naked body against his clothed one, the contrast driving her mad with desire for him to be as bared to her. His lips seared into hers again, then he clasped her hips and positioned his face between her shaking thighs. Caitlin’s breathing grew more chaotic as Harry kissed her, then stroked his tongue against her, inside her, deeper, carefully discovering her secrets, the right places to focus his attentions. She let go of herself, feeling an orgasm build up to a level of intensity she’d never felt before it reached its apex and she opened her mouth to cry out. Harry slipped his thumb into her mouth and she was able to stay quiet, sucking and biting down on his finger as her heart pounded. 

“Harry,” she panted, “That was…” She fumbled for words, but she could only finish the sentence with a moan, pleasure still reverberating through her.

“We’re just getting started,” Harry assured her, mischief, lust, and adoration shining in his eyes. Caitlin let go of the rails and pulled his shirt off, letting her fingers trail down his chest and stomach until they landed at his boxers. It was his turn to be at her mercy, watching her eyes graze over him hungrily just before she removed his boxers, her touch drifting over his low abdomen. “Don’t stop, baby,” he sighed, sending an electric shock down her spine. “Please.”

She engulfed him in her hand, stroking up and down until he gasped and hovered closer over her. Caitlin led him nearer still, so that he could press up against her entrance, gradually sinking in as their lips met and they clung together, both careful not to give full vocal vent to the sensations that rocked them. “Caitlin,” Harry said tightly, thrusting into her as she ran her fingers through his hair, grabbing onto his back with her other hand. Sweat beaded her forehead as she willed herself not to get as loud as the feelings within her demanded. 

They captured each other’s muffled gasps and cries with kisses, biting and licking with abandon, finding release in almost the same heated moment. Harry rolled onto his side, never letting her go, and Caitlin braced her hands against his firm chest, her mouth still hanging open in astonishment. “I knew it was going to be good,” she whispered, “But there are no words for what _that_ was.”

Harry pulled the sheets more snugly around her body, rubbing her back and sighing happily as she nuzzled into his chest. “No words that I’ve ever heard could quite cover it,” he agreed, kissing her forehead. “But I meant what I said earlier, Snow.”

“Mmm?” Caitlin asked, one eye opening back up as drowsiness settled over her bones. 

“We’re just getting started. Imagine all the possibilities…” He continued to stroke her back, their limbs nestled together so comfortably that Caitlin knew she was about to have another fantastic night of sleep. It was always like that when she felt him near to her. 

“Oh, I have,” she snickered.

“Caitlin Snow, I’m blushing,” Harry replied playfully. “You bad, bad girl.”

“You’re not exactly innocent in this whole thing,” she giggled, nudging his knee gently with her own, then letting her leg rest against his, reveling in the warmth of his skin, the strong enfolding of his embrace.

“You’re damn right I’m not. Well, one thing’s for sure, I’m going to have some sweet dreams tonight….” His breathing started to slow down, to become a predictable pattern, and she kissed his chest, a silent goodnight.

 _Me, too,_ Caitlin pondered blissfully, giving in to the sleepy sensation that swept her so soothingly. And she was right.  
*****************************************************************

“Don’t you look at me like that,” Caitlin whispered accusingly to Harry at breakfast the next morning. He took another look at her beautiful, golden-brown eyes widening, her over-kissed lips pressing together in a faux-irritated expression that didn’t fool him in the least, not that it was meant to. She had chosen today to wear a pale pink top with tiny, thin straps that tied at her shoulders, plus those intolerable denim short shorts that he could finally do something about as soon as was humanly possible. Her long hair was styled in a way he’d never seen before, swept into a loose braid that fell over one shoulder, curly tendrils sweeping down towards the soft curve of her cleavage. 

Harry raised his eyebrows and licked his lips suggestively, taking a sip of coffee.

“Hey! My mom and her friends are right over there,” Caitlin reminded him, nodding at the others, who were filling their plates with eggs and bacon from the buffet offering Carla had set up. “That expression on your face is not even legal. Put your eyes away!”

“No,” he said simply, staring unabashedly. Caitlin grinned, the sight pouring over him like thousands of flowers blossoming, easing every iota of tension that had entrapped him over the years, freeing him as only she could. Of course, he never wanted to drag his eyes from her. She took a small peek over her shoulder, but no one happened to be looking their way, so she plucked a cherry from her plate of fruit salad and licked it slowly before placing it on her tongue. 

He shook his head, flashing those dimples as he returned her irrepressible smile. “It’s like I said, Snow,” he murmured naughtily, “You’re a bad girl.”

“Did you sleep well, dear?” Carla asked, sitting down beside Caitlin. She immediately detached her gaze from Harry’s, clearing her throat.

“Yes, thanks! The bed in that guest room is just so, _so_ comfortable.” She took a long sip of orange juice, glancing over just to make sure Harry’s face had turned as red as she’d intended. Repressing a giggle, she added to Carla, “So, you and Brennan looked pretty cozy when we came back in last night.”

“I….suppose we did,” Carla admitted to Caitlin’s surprise. “I spent some time last night and this morning thinking over the way I’ve behaved towards you, Caitlin, and also the way I’ve been living my life in general. I know you called me out about how I’m always throwing parties for my professional associates, but I never have time for you. I want to explain that now and apologize accordingly.”

“Mom, you don’t have to,” Caitlin began out of the sort of polite acceptance she habitually extended to her mother. Harry remained respectfully silent, but he gave her a small nod and an understanding smile to indicate, _Hear her out._

“I do, actually. I want to. You see, if I’m always surrounding myself with people I feel no emotional connection to, just --" Carla lowered her voice to a whisper so the other guests wouldn't hear -- "a bunch of flatterers and hangers-on to puff me up, that only reinforces my personal preference of being alone. I’m never more alone than when I’m throwing one of those events, but it has allowed me the facade of a social life. Then one night, Brennan and I got closer…” Carla trailed off and Caitlin shot her a look of surprise.

 _Oh,_ Caitlin thought, _That explains a lot._

“Of course, immediately afterwards, I pushed him away, and I’ve been doing that ever since,” Carla elaborated, tossing a lock of brown hair over one shoulder, picking absent-mindedly at the plate of food she’d laid on the table in front of her. Caitlin thought she hadn’t seen her mom look so relaxed in her attire in years, and it suited her. _Who knew mom even owned lounge pants? And she looks so pretty with her hair down._ She covered her mother’s hand with her own and gave her an encouraging nod.

“I understand,” Caitlin said, “Boy, do I ever. Falling in love can be terrifying when all you’ve ever known of love is that it ends in tears.”

“Yes, but I’ve been pretty hard on Brennan, up until we had a heart to heart last night. I think I might actually want to date that absent-minded professor,” Carla elaborated, shrugging. “And I want you to know that being with you, Cait, reminded me of your dad so much that I selfishly kept you at arms’ length. Cutting your decisions down with my little rants was just my way of making sure we stayed estranged enough that I didn’t have to deal with my feelings. I’m done with that, and I want to make up for lost time. I think it’s especially important that I add…” She looked over at Harry, who was moving eggs around on his plate, his manner completely unobtrusive. 

“I’m sorry, Harry, that I invited you here just to hurl barbed comments at your relationship and treat you as if you were nothing but a hinderance to my daughter’s happiness. In fact, it’s quite the opposite, to the extent that honestly — watching the two of you, and seeing how deeply in love you are, has inspired me to stop being so afraid and so walled off from life. Thank you for showing me that, both of you.”

“You don’t have to apologize, Carla,” Harry said, waving her mea culpa off with a friendly smile. “We’ve had an amazing time here, and I’m eternally grateful to you for inviting us. It changed my life forever, I can tell you that.”

Caitlin hugged her mom, tears squeezing from her eyes. “Thank you, Mom. I’m so proud of you for opening up.” She caught Brennan’s eye over her mother’s shoulder and her smile widened as he gave her an unsubtle thumbs-up, accidentally drizzling maple syrup onto his potatoes instead of his pancakes.

After breakfast, the guests were all planning to go on a wine-tasting jaunt at a nearby scenic vineyard, but Caitlin let Carla know that she and Harry needed some time to themselves to talk. “Enjoy your ‘talk,’” Carla said with a knowing look, but Caitlin just batted her with a cloth napkin.

“Enjoy your ‘wine tasting,’ Mom,” Caitlin replied archly. “Brennan Collingsworth. Really, how scandalous.”

Carla actually winked, then strolled off to chat with her new boyfriend, just in time for Caitlin to turn back to her own.

“So, here we are. All alone on a gorgeous, sunny summer day in rural Vermont, free to do whatever we want. What do you think we should start with?” She loved the way he seemed completely prepared for the question, as it was obvious he’d already been mulling the matter over.

“If it’s quite alright with you, love, I’d like to take you out on the town today,” Harry suggested, and she responded by kissing his lips warmly.

“Harrison Wells, I thought you’d never ask,” she answered, buzzing with excitement.


	6. Caught up

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (This chapter, I believe, pushes to the edge of the M rating and there is some light scarf bondage. That element didn't seem to bother anyone when I included it in one of my other M stories, but a heads up just in case, lol! ;) )

“Oh, no _way!_ ” Harry exclaimed, stopping short on the sidewalk as Caitlin followed suit, finishing a long slurp of her slushie. Looking over to where Harry pointed, she pushed up her new baseball cap, which, like the light cotton hoodies they both sported, said “Vermont” on it in scrolled letters. “An old fashioned gazebo in the town square,” he gushed like a kid at a carnival. “I am definitely kissing you in that.”

Grabbing Caitlin’s hand, Harry waited until it was safe to cross the street and then they made a run for it because his infectious energy was delightfully addictive to her. “Harry,” she said a little breathlessly, “I had no idea you were such an enthusiastic tourist.”

“Well, that just goes to show you,” Harry said, approaching her with slow, seductive strides until her back brushed against one of the white columns of the gazebo. “I’ve got layers, Snow, I’m like an onion.”

“Your layers are much sweeter than an onion’s,” Caitlin argued playfully, whipping off his Vermont cap, then her own, and dropping them to the side on a bench so that they wouldn’t bump hats.

“I’m a Vidalia,” he bragged, “You know, that’s one line I never really expected to use right before I went in for a kiss.”

“You might want to think twice about that one,” Caitlin agreed. “Or try again.”

“Hmmm,” Harry mused, “How about, ‘Caitlin Snow, you stunning creature, you’re the love of my life and I’m the luckiest man alive’?”

“That works,” she grinned as Harry leaned in, brushing his lips against hers. “ _That_ really works,” she added.

“Your lips are cold,” he murmured, “And purple. And grapey. I might have to kiss you a few extra times.” 

“How long have my lips been purple?” She objected, placing a finger on his chest. 

“Long enough,” Harry answered. He swept his tongue over her lips and added, “I missed a spot.” They kissed again as she melted against him, her heart still racing just like the first time.

“What next?” Caitlin inquired when their lips parted out of the sheer necessity of keeping P.D.A. to a socially acceptable level of brevity. She held onto one of the columns and swung around it, her leg arcing up as she traipsed around with a purely blissful expression that had Harry hypnotized.

“Next,” Harry said, catching her by the hips on the next swing as she fell happily into his arms, “I’m unzipping this.” He undid her hoodie with a deliberately teasing manner that made Caitlin’s grin widen. “I love this shirt,” he added by way of explanation, tugging at the hem of her pink blouse.

“So,” Caitlin mused, “we’ve hit every adorable, quirky little store in this ridiculously sweet tiny town, went to a seriously random museum full of folk ark quilts and looms, had lunch, danced in a diner when no one else was dancing — a favorite moment of mine, by the way.” 

“Oh, yeah?” Harry asked, taking a turn around a column as she swung about from the other direction. They laughed as they almost collided.

“Oh,” Caitlin elaborated, returning to his arms just in time to caress those well-defined muscles, “Yeah. You doubted me at first, but _that_ was good.”

“I never doubt you, Snow. I just like the way your nose gets that cute little crinkle in it when I pretend otherwise.” He tapped her nose and she smirked, then turned and ran into the small field that surrounded them. 

“I doubt you can catch me,” she teased, removing the hoodie altogether and tying it around her waist as she raced around.

“I could catch you blindfolded,” Harry insisted, catching up and grabbing her around the waist from behind, lifting and twirling her around until they collapsed into the grass, laughing again.

“What else could you do blindfolded?” she purred, and he gave her a pointed look.

“Wouldn’t you like to know,” Harry remarked coyly, inspiring a number of ideas in Caitlin’s mind.

“It’s so peaceful here,” Caitlin said a little more seriously as they lay there staring up at the blue sky. “It feels almost like we traveled to an earlier time, where everything moves a lot slower and there’s time to just soak life in.”

“We’re just so used to living in a blur of nonstop action and adventure in the big city that this place feels downright colonial,” Harry theorized.

“It might help that we stopped hiding our feelings for each other,” Caitlin murmured, smiling up at him. 

“No doubt about that,” he agreed, “Which brings me to my next proposal.”

Curious about the word choice, but deciding it was obviously way too soon for him to be thinking of _that_ sort of proposal, she simply replied with a “Mmm?”

“You know what I’ve been thinking about nonstop, all day? Last night.”

She blushed. “Me, too,” she admitted dreamily.

“What would you think,” he suggested, lacing his fingers through hers and staring up at her adoringly, “If we went somewhere that didn’t require us to be especially quiet? Somewhere with let’s say, a bed and maybe even one of those fireplaces with the fur rug in front of it like at the cabin, only, you know…”

“No parents in earshot?” Caitlin guessed, her breath catching in her next laugh because arousing thoughts were taking her over just that easily. “Wow, I just realized that I’ve felt a little like a teenager this weekend.”

“So what do you think of my idea?” She could see the excitement of anticipation all over his face, hot as hell and totally adorkable at the same time, and could hardly wait to satisfy his every sexual whim.

“I think let’s go,” Caitlin determined nonchalantly. She stood up and brushed grass from her shorts, extending a hand down to him.

“Now?” He grabbed her hand and jumped up beside her.

“ _Now._ ”

****************************************************************************************

Harry rang the bell that sat on top of the bed and breakfast’s front desk with merry aplomb and Caitlin gave him a coy look. “What?” he murmured as they both rested their elbows on the desk, already eye-screwing the living daylights out of one another.

She straightened and touched the brim of his hat contemplatively. “We need to have a talk about you and baseball caps and the whole conundrum which you throw me into with this combination.”

“What is this conundrum you speak of, Snow?” Harry replied, ready for her mischievous answer.

“Well, there’s this,” Caitlin explained, framing his face with her hands. “The typical, Harry Wells, I’m-going-out-in-public-and-if-I-have-a-baseball-cap-on-no one-will-know-it’s-me look.”

“Hey,” he objected playfully, “That disguise totally works.”

“You just keep telling yourself that. Anyway, this look is simple, straightforward, sexy as can be,” She continued. He laughed slightly bashfully at her declaration. 

“But then we have this option.” Caitlin turned the hat around and put it on him backwards. “Also sexy. Extra cute. A little overwhelming, actually. But therein lies the main conundrum.”

“Do tell,” he prompted. She removed the hat again and placed it on the desk, beaming. 

“This is best of all,” she decided, ruffling his hair slowly, taking every bit of tactile pleasure she could, which was quite a lot considering that his hair was so soft and fun to play with. 

“I like the way that feels,” Harry smiled contentedly, like a cat petted with extra love and care. 

“Oh, hello dears,” said an elderly woman as she came around the corner, taking out the guest sign-in book and handing it to them. “Sorry for the delay, I was just taking the kettle off.” She accepted their payment, showed them to their room, and informed them cheerfully about the dine-in options for later. “I’ll leave the tea and cookies set up in the kitchen in case you’d like any while I’m out.”

As the proprietress went on her way, Harry and Caitlin exchanged a knowing look. She flopped down on the pretty, four-poster bed and reached down to unclasp her suitcase. “Whoops,” she said with false surprise, reaching down to retrieve a gauzy black scarf, “This just fell out.”

“Snow,” Harry accused, looking like his pulse just sped up, “That did not fall out by accident, did it?”

“The only question is, what are we going to do with it?” Caitlin inquired archly, swinging the scarf back and forth.

“You mean, what are we going to do with it first,” he answered smoothly.

“Precisely,” she concurred. “Actually, I think it’s time we got back to my question from earlier. Just what else _can_ you do blindfolded, Dr. Wells?”

“Dr. Snow, you’re asking me a very naughty question, but you’re blushing as if it makes you feel a bit shy,” Harry noted slyly, striding over and taking the scarf from her fingers. 

“Do you like that about me?” Caitlin inquired softly, pushing him down on the bed and climbing on top of his body. She took the scarf back and tied it around his eyes, feeling his hardness pressing up against her in response. 

“Yes,” he said roughly, holding onto her by the hips as they automatically began to grind, the friction making both of them immediately moan. 

“I’m in charge here,” she told him, “And you’ll do as I say. Hold still.” Caitlin could tell that it took every bit of discipline Harry could summon to cease the movements of his hips and groin, so she rewarded him with a kiss on his eager lips.

“I’ll do whatever you want,” he said, a beseeching tone to his voice implying that he hoped she wouldn’t keep him in torturous suspense for too long, however delicious said torment would be. 

“Good,” she murmured in her sultriest tone, one that frankly, until this moment, Caitlin didn’t know she possessed. Harry was bringing out her dirtiest instincts and it was as thrilling as it was unstoppable. Hovering over his face so that her breath swept warmly against him with every word, interspersed with kisses, Caitlin asked, “Tell me about the times you wanted me, before this weekend, before you told me how you felt.”

“I always wanted you,” Harry admitted, shivering with pleasure as Caitlin’s teeth sank into his neck, then as she swept her tongue over the same spot. 

“Examples, please,” she requested, easing his shirt over his head and following the v of his hips with one finger, going as far as the waistband of his jeans just so she could watch him jerk upward, shuddering with need.

“The way you dress for work,” he elaborated, “It’s perfect, it drives me so crazy I can’t see straight. All those tight dresses and skirts, the heels, your skin, your body, I wanted…mmm….” Harry was distracted by Caitlin’s actions as she slid down the zipper on his jeans, then undid the button. She could feel his firm erection pressing closer and she swallowed, arousal thrumming through her. 

“What did you want, Harry?” Caitlin asked, her voice silky but her heart and mind helpless for him, desperately craving his next words, the effect they would have over her dampening core.

“I wanted,” he continued haltingly, finding it difficult due to the way she was stroking him over the jeans, “I wanted to tell everyone to get the fuck out of the lab. I wanted one single perfect fucking moment of total peace and quiet to look into your eyes and make sure you felt it too, find out what you wanted, forget about all the reasons why we shouldn’t do this. I wanted to grab you and put your back against the wall, shove your skirt up over your hips, I wanted your hands in my hair and your lipstick all over me." 

Harry gave a sharp sigh as Caitlin pulled his jeans off, his confession making her weak in the knees and unable to maintain her own composure, although the game had been designed to strip him of his own. Now they were falling in deeper than ever, together.

“You can have it all over you,” she whispered sweetly, her head lowering over his skin, her mouth pressing slowly over his hard torso, down until she could take him into her mouth, sighing happily at his intense response. Still obeying her ground rules to hold still, Harry didn’t place his hand on the back of her head as he clearly wanted to, but merely fisted the sheets, so tightly that Caitlin felt an erotic shiver rock her own body.

“What about the parking lot? That day when you taught me how to park. What were you really thinking? I stayed up three nights wondering about it.” She removed her mouth from him only briefly, replacing it as soon as he began speaking again, his voice hoarse and strained, just the way she liked it. 

“Those shorts,” Harry answered, “And the look on your face, the nervousness, and something underneath that I couldn’t read. Your eyes are so exquisite, Caitlin, your eyelashes, every detail just so stunning, deceptively innocent, calling out to me. The sweat was making your hair stick to your forehead, and I wanted…ahhh….” He was close to coming now, she could feel it and taste it. “I wanted to take you in the backseat, throw your hair over one shoulder and get those shorts off you, slide in from behind, deep…” Harry couldn’t hold out any longer, but sighed her name with reckless abandon, and Caitlin absorbed the immensity of his orgasm with the revelation that making him this insane was only intensifying her lust for him until she could barely breathe. God knew she couldn’t be patient for a second longer.

“If I had only known,” Caitlin managed to pant, untying the blindfold and handing him the scarf. His bright blue gaze seared into her as he propped himself up on shaky elbows. 

“What’s this for?” Harry asked. “Are you ceding control back to me? Is it my turn, Caitlin?”

“Harry,” she admitted in a rush of honesty, “I never had control. Do you know what you just did to me? What your words just made me feel? And tasting you like that while you were…” Her words faded at the intense look on his face.

“How did it make you feel, baby?” Harry asked so softly, knowing by now that the sound of his voice had a unique power to turn her on. He wasn’t going to waste that ability, and she was very glad about that.

“It let me know that you’re in charge,” Caitlin replied, “You had control over me even as I was so focused on the reverse, and I…I want you to act on that. Now.” 

With barely-held-together restraint, Harry took the scarf and regarded it thoughtfully. “I might need to hear the magic word,” he purred against her throat, following the vibration of his voice with a lick and a bite before sucking down until she moaned.

“Pl…please,” Caitlin begged fitfully as his mouth made its way down her neck and across her upper chest. “Please.” 

“Not sure I caught that,” Harry murmured wickedly, caressing her wrists, feeling the speeding pulse there, then running his hands down her legs until he clasped her ankles, glancing up at her expectantly.

What was he thinking, and what, for the love of God, was he going to do with that scarf? Caitlin sat there half-reclined and let her head fall back, closing her eyes as he pulled the scarf slowly across her ankles, then up over her legs and across her groin. “Please, please, please,” she whispered.

“How many of these do you have?” Harry inquired thoughtfully, waving the scarf around lightly, damnably teasing, and Caitlin’s heart skipped a beat. 

“I think there’s one more in my suitcase,” she theorized. He nodded and rifled through her traveling bag, retrieving the other scarf, a pink one this time. 

“Here we go,” Harry announced, lifting Caitlin to the top of the bed and then carefully positioning her arms above her at one of the columns there. “Is this okay?” he checked as she immediately nodded. “Good.” He tied her wrists together on the poster and then slid down until he reached her ankles again. _Holy shit,_ Caitlin thought as he repeated the procedure, tying her ankles together so that they were bound snugly, but not tightly. Unlike her hands, she could still move her feet around a little, so she assuaged her yearning for him slightly by rubbing her heels into the bed.

“So impatient, Caitlin,” he said slyly, taking a moment to enjoy the sight of her lying there, voluntarily at his mercy, having literally begged for it. “I’m surprised at you. And by the way, I think I’ve been perfectly clear about my feelings regarding these shorts.” _Oh, fuck,_ she realized, delicious retribution had at last arrived.

Harry undid her jean shorts but left them on for now, repeating her own teasing behavior towards him from before, shooting her a pointed look to let her know this was indeed revenge. “It’s so nice and peaceful, just you and me here,” he pondered, hovering over her and kissing her lips slowly, searchingly, his tongue teaching her new lessons about how far exactly she could be unraveled. Harry responded to her sighs by slipping his fingers inside her shorts, under her panties, sliding immediately against the moisture there. “You can be as loud as you want now.” From what she’d already confessed, he now knew that he could get away with such cockiness, that she craved his dirty talk and, in fact, couldn’t get enough. 

Caitlin raised her hips as her feet ground against the comforter, her knees open to provide him easy access to everything she wanted him to take. “You’re not supposed to be doing that,” Harry scolded her, moving down until his face was over her aching center. He stretched his unoccupied hand down to still her antsy ankles and she sighed, loving his bossy side. “Can you hold still for me?” He asked the impossible question as he finally slid her shorts down to her feet and left them there, making it even harder for her to move her legs, to wrap them around him like she wanted to. He was turning her on with the need to be creative in how she responded with so few options. 

“I can try,” she murmured, “Can’t make any promises.”

Harry untied her blouse and slid it all the way down as well, focusing on her breasts as his fingers withdrew from inside her and she could have screamed in frustration at the loss. “Patience,” he suggested, kissing her breasts through her lacy bra and then licking and biting her nipples despite the scratchy material between them, or perhaps because he knew the unique sensation would feel outstanding. 

“Don’t ask me for that,” she said tightly, and something about her inability to hold back her burning need for him made Harry’s own teasing patience fall apart. He took the bra off and cupped her breasts with both hands, then stroked his tongue over her stomach before pulling her panties down and distributing his oral attentions where they were most desperately required.

“Harry,” Caitlin gasped, coming as she felt the curve of his satisfied smile against her and shuddered. She bent her knees and let them fall to one side as her head did the same against her shoulders. 

“Do you want me to untie you now, love?” Harry asked warmly, caressing her thigh, then clasping her behind as she regained the ability to reply.

“Hell, no,” She grinned mischievously. 

“I see,” he replied, taking her by the hips and turning her over. He reached up and adjusted the scarf around her wrists so that it wouldn’t twist and pinch her, then helped her onto her knees. Harry returned his touch to her aching interior, finding it slick again as he asked huskily, “Do you want it like this?”

“Mmmhmm,” Caitlin managed breathlessly, finding herself unbelievably overwhelmed as he pushed inside her, living his fantasy which had also become her own. The fullness of him within her at this angle was amazing, and she marveled at the way he held her so carefully, his arm supporting her upper body so that the scarf would never tug her. Despite their mutual enjoyment of the light bondage, he never wanted her to experience a second’s discomfort, only the most pleasure he could possibly provide her.

“Good,” he sighed, establishing a slow yet relentless rhythm that felt divine. “Because it’s all for you, Caitlin. All of me, for you.” Harry proved it as he gradually sped up his rate of plunging in and out, basing his approach on her vocalizations, which were blissfully free of restraint in this abandoned setting. By the time they climaxed, she couldn’t help being bad enough to break his rules, sinking her teeth into the strong arm that held her stable. He gasped as he came at the same time, and when he pulled out and landed beside her, she could see a yearning within him for her that could never be satiated. They would both always want more, she realized with astonished ecstasy. What could be better than that?

Harry untied her and then kissed and gently rubbed the places where the scarf had held her. “Was this really okay?” He asked, concerned that in his lustful fervor for her, he might have gone too far.

“No,” she answered, but the way she smiled told him that she meant a completely different sort of “no” than he might have otherwise feared. “That was not ‘okay,’ Harrison Wells. That was the most intense… _you’re_ so damn intense, and the way you show me how you feel, what you want, God. I love you so much, Harry. What you just did to me laughs in the face of the word ‘okay.’ It was life-changing.” 

He actually blushed then, betraying his reputation as a haughty genius scientist C.E.O. of unbreakable egotism. "I love you, too," he said quietly, blown away. Caitlin knew the real him so well that it didn’t surprise her when her compliments to his sexual prowess evoked shyness. He was a war between the two extremes of his sexily all-knowing strictness and a sweetness and light he couldn’t hide from her. Caitlin was extremely glad to be trapped in the middle of that delectable battle.

“Mmm,” she sighed contentedly as they held each other, “I never want this trip to be over.”

“Maybe it doesn’t have to be,” he considered, drawing an interested look from her. “I mean, we’ll go back to Central City, back to Star Labs, but this feeling never has to be over. What if it only gets better, Snow? Come on, imagine that.”

“With you, I can imagine that,” she smiled, making him overtly glad she shared the sentiment, that she wasn’t afraid their love would fall apart in the real world. 

“Anyway, I’ve got a little idea for a sidetrip on our way back home, if you’re game, that is,” he said, excitement lacing his tone despite his attempt to sound casual in the announcement.

“Listen, Harry, if there’s one thing you should have learned from this afternoon, it’s that when it comes to you, I’m _always_ game.”


	7. Just be mine

“What are you thinking about?” Caitlin asked as she swiped light blue nail polish over her toes, which were propped up against the glove box. She watched Harry pull his thumb back slightly from his mouth as he paused at a red light. His gaze tracked Caitlin’s pose from her intentionally coy expression with batting eyelashes, all the way down her sunshine-yellow dress and bent legs.

“Hmm?” He inquired, deliberately evasive.

“Harry, you’ve been lost in thought for a half hour. I just asked you if you thought Cisco should start rocking a man bun and you said ‘probably.’” She stuck the cap back on the polish and twisted it shut, stretching her legs out. “So what’s up?”

“Yes, yes, Caitlin, I’ve got something on my mind. I mean, I _did,_ up until you just interrupted my thought tangent with your question and drew my attention to your hotness. Now all I can think about is kissing you and being eternally grateful that I can actually do that now. Before, when I’d notice how insanely beautiful you are, I had to be all like—” He adopted a gruffer voice. “—Snow. You did a good job on those calculations.”

“Well, I always do a good job on the calculations,” She reminded him proudly.

“ _Allll_ the calculations. Beauty, brains, and so much more…” He grinned at her.

“So much more?” She asked as the light turned green and he drove forward, pulling his eyes away from her as if with great effort.

“Yes, so many, many more bedroom-related possibilities, going through my mind, right now.” He raised his eyebrows and though his suggestion made her blush pleasantly, she wasn’t letting him off the hook that easily.

“Nice try, but I haven’t forgotten that you’re keeping a secret from me. Spill the beans, Wells. I mean…only if you want to. But seriously, you should. Please?” She pouted and he sighed.

“First of all, hearing your voice say the word ‘please,’ after what we’ve recently been up to, has new connotations that are just extremely distracting. Secondly, I can actually _hear_ you pouting, and it’s not going to work. I’ll be ready to tell you this top secret information when we get there.”

“When we get _where,_ Harry?” She persisted, dying to know where he was taking her after promising a surprise side trip before they headed back home from their weekend in Vermont. “I’m waaaittiing,” she added musically, enjoying his irritated look. 

“That’s annoying.”  


“No, it’s not.”

“No, it’s not, it’s cute as hell,” Harry admitted. “Ah, here we are.” He took a seemingly random turn that let the car out right beside a gorgeous field of purple flowers. He parked and rushed around to open Caitlin’s door. “My lady,” he said gallantly, extending a hand.

 _Yes, I most certainly am,_ Caitlin thought happily, clasping his fingers and following him to the center of the fresh-smelling flowers with vibrant green stems that bent and wound gently in the summer breeze. “This is gorgeous, Harry,” she breathed contentedly. It just didn’t seem like enough of a detour to be a “side-trip,” though, which was a bit of a head-scratcher, not that she was about to start complaining.

Harry swung his other hand around to reveal that he was holding a gift bag, which he passed to her. Caitlin laughed at his courtly behavior. “Thank you,” she cooed, reaching in to discover a book. “ _Clinical Neurophysiology of Sleep Disorders: A research study,_ ” she read confusedly. “Harry, _I_ wrote this book. In Grad School.”

“Mmmhmm,” he said in an uncharacteristically sprightly manner that let her know he was definitely up to more than met the eye. “See, I remember you mentioning it one time and saying that you’d lost your hard copy and only a couple hundred of these had been printed, that it was tough to track down. So I found it for you, months ago, but then I realized that if I gave it to you, you’d notice how attentively I listened to every single word you said, and it might make you suspicious.”

“Uh-huh,” she smiled, “Something like this does make it sound like you might have a crush on me, Dr. Wells.” 

“Right, there’s a pick-up line in here somewhere about how I’ll make sure you’re tired out enough every night to never experience insomnia again, but this isn’t really the time for that kind of talk.”

“Don’t be so hasty,” she urged coquettishly, tugging the sleeve of his dark blue t-shirt. “I might be amenable to discussing that.”

“We need to talk about something else first,” Harry clarified, “Check out the last page, would you?”

Humoring him, Caitlin flipped the book to the end. On the blank page following on from her own concluding author’s notes, Harry had written, “I’m not afraid to read the last page anymore. Look in your pocket.” Her heart fluttered and her skin tingled as she slipped her hand immediately into her dress pocket, pulling out a stunning diamond ring that glittered blindingly in the July sun.

“Harry,” she said in a soft sigh. She raised glistening eyes to his handsome face and saw the combined nervousness and eagerness there. “It’s perfect,” Caitlin added as he leaned down to kiss away the tears that streamed down her face. 

“I’ll do that every single time you cry for the rest of our lives, if you’ll have me,” Harry promised, emotion making his voice wobble. He dropped down to one knee and looked up at her with fearful anticipation. “Is there a ‘but’ to the end of the ‘it’s perfect’ sentence, or…Caitlin Snow, will you marry me?”

She fell to her knees before him and threw her arms around his neck, hugging him tightly. Over his shoulders, she slid the ring onto her finger and whispered in his ear, “Yes. Yes!”

“That’s kinda what I hoped you might say,” he murmured, then they drew back and kissed. “I know maybe this seems too soon to be asking…”

“Not a moment too soon,” Caitlin assured him. A note of curiosity struck her, compelling her to add, “Harry, was it more of a conversational side-trip you meant?”

“Ah, you’re still wondering about the side-trip,” he laughed. “I can’t get anything past you, which is such a phenomenally _uncommon_ trait that it’s no wonder I fell in love with you.”

“Oh, brother,” she cracked, batting at him in jest. “Well…?”

“Well, I wanted to know,” Harry said, helping her up and then smoothing his hands over the sides of her dress, “If you’re interested in going to Niagara Falls. I hear it’s really something to see.”

“Really?” Caitlin asked, giggling at his reductive description. “ _I_ hear it’s where a lot of people go to elope?”

“Who have you been talking to, that’s scandalous,” Harry quipped. “Actually, I’m asking you if you wanna get married at Niagara Falls, Snow. Not an elopement, but a destination wedding. And, bonus! Built-in honeymoon destination.”

“What do you mean, destination wedding?” Caitlin asked excitedly. “Did you tell our friends you were proposing, did you tell my Mom? Jesse?”

“Did I tell them,” Harry repeated, amused. He held out his phone so she could see the many frantic texts he’d been receiving all day. 

Everyone, from Iris to Cisco, her mother and Jesse had asked, “Did you do it?” “Did you propose yet?!?!” She laughed at Iris’ fourth insistent message, which read “What are you waiting for, Harry?!?!?!?!!?!?! Akjfdlkskdjsfkgjk!”

“Jesse’s on Earth-1?” Caitlin asked.

“She decided to visit once I called her on the downlow and told her what I had in the works. For some reason, Jesse was pretty sure you’d say yes. Said she’d been waiting for me to stop being a dumbass and realize I was in love with you since the first time she saw us in a room together.”

“You know, you’re raising her right,” Caitlin noted. “Well, let’s not leave them in suspense!” She grabbed Harry’s phone and Face-Timed Iris, who was surrounded by the whole of Team Flash. 

“The mission is a go,” Harry beamed as everyone back at the lab screamed and whooped in jubilation. 

“Yesss!” Jesse screeched, popping open a bottle of champagne as Iris threw confetti. 

“Take it easy on the alcohol,” Harry cautioned Jesse as everyone laughed. “I’ll see all of you goofballs in properly designated wedding attire, day after tomorrow, nobody be late.”

“Caitlin, you’re a saint,” Barry joked. Caitlin ruffled Harry’s hair and wrapped an arm around his shoulders.

“Congratulations, guys,” Cisco added. “Not only on the engagement, but on having the most awesome best man ever.”

“I had to,” Harry shrugged, making everyone laugh.

“I’ll see you guys soon! Thank you for taking a break and going to the trouble of meeting us up there to make this happen,” Caitlin gushed, feeling like she was going to burst into tears again at the thought of what wonderful friends she had. “Hey, what about my passport, though?”

“I got you,” Iris assured her. “Harry asked me about it a couple of days ago, so I used the spare key to your place that you left me, grabbed it and mailed it to your Mom’s house.”

Harry took it out and waved it around. “Preparation is key.”

**********************************************************************************  
“Preparation is key,” Iris said, passing Caitlin a blue garter. “Something blue.”

“I can’t believe it’s actually my wedding day,” Caitlin whisper-shrieked, putting the garter on underneath her champagne-hued dress. Luckily, there was no shortage of bridal boutiques in the area, and she’d found a gown that charmed her with its dreamy, ballerina princess sort of quality.  


Even if she occasionally pondered whether she’d someday get re-married, Caitlin would never have previously imagined herself choosing such a whimsical dress. But falling in love with Harry had made her start believing in fairy tales again, and so here she was. The skirt fell to mid-calf in the front, but the backs and sides of it swept the floor with feathery-light layers of gauzy fabric. At first, she’d hesitated at the low neckline with its v cut supported by spaghetti straps which criss-crossed and tied in a bow at the back. Then she’d _definitely_ considered the dip in the back above the flouncing out of the skirt to be too revealing. But luckily, Iris and Jesse had told her she would have been crazy to wear anything else, because the dress looked like it had been made just for Caitlin.

“You look unbelievable,” Jesse enthused, passing Caitlin her bouquet. 

“Like an angel,” Iris added affectionately, embracing her friend.

“Ohhh, now. _You_ two look unbelievable,” Caitlin deflected modestly, nodding at Iris and Jesse’s matching blush-colored gowns. “I’m so incredibly lucky to have you both as my co-maids of honor! Screw only having one.” They all laughed and leaned on each other as they linked arms, heading out to the hotel ballroom where the ceremony would take place.

“Darling,” Carla greeted Caitlin, disentangling herself from Brennan and rushing to hug her daughter. “You have never looked more beautiful, and that’s really saying something.”

“Congratulations,” Brennan said as Caitlin went up on tip-toe to kiss his cheek. “You deserve all the happiness in the word, my dear.”

“Shall we?” Carla asked, and Caitlin’s heart immediately sped up as goosebumps spread over her skin. Iris and Jesse fell into place behind them as the doors were opened and the procession began. A string quartet began to play as she stepped forward with baited breath, magnetically drifting towards Harry, who looked at her with intent adoration, clearly amazed by how she looked in the dress. Her cheeks felt hot and tears glazed her eyes, making her glad she’d turned down Barry’s offer to sing something at this point. If he had, Caitlin never would have made it down the aisle without breaking out into full sobs.

Barry stood next to Cisco, having been appointed co-Best Man as Harry’s response to Caitlin doing the same with her Maids of Honor. “Why didn’t I think of breaking that rule? You’re a genius, Snow,” he’d proclaimed as she nodded proudly.

“I’m not crying, I have something in my eye,” Cisco whispered when Caitlin reached Harry, taking his hands as the priest began to speak. She chuckled quietly at Cisco’s words, then noticed that Harry’s hands were shaking. Caitlin stroked his fingers lovingly, giving him a look that said he would make it through this despite his overwhelming nervousness, that she’d hold onto him.  


He’d fretted nonstop through the night before. “But what if I get lost in your eyes and forget what I’m supposed to say?”

“Sweetie, you’re just supposed to say ‘I do,’” Caitlin had reminded him fondly, and as Harry followed through, repeating the phrase with complete certainty at every prompt, she saw that he was brimming with the same joy that had taken her over as well.

When the vows were complete and they enjoyed their first kiss as husband and wife, which was a little less chaste than it probably should have been and therefore exactly right, Cisco gave a triumphant yelp. “Party time,” he announced gleefully.

“Picture time, Ramon,” Harry said with an eyeroll, “Did you really think we were getting off that easily? By the way, if you eat all the bacon-wrapped scallops before I get to them, I’ll kick your ass all the way back to Central City.”

“All the way back to Central City,” Jesse contemplated. “Guys, do you think the world is ready for the most badass, genius husband and wife team of scientists ever to be seen?”

“It’d better _get_ ready,” Caitlin chirped with a high-five to her new stepdaughter. 

“Damn straight,” Iris agreed, holding Barry’s hand as the wedding vibes filled her with romantic feelings that prompted some PDA of her own with her adorable husband.

“Hey, Harry, you’d better get ready to miss out on those scallops, and the crab cakes, too. Ya had to have those,” Cisco added, “Since they were named after you.”

Harry pretended to brandish his fists at Cisco before the two friends hugged and everyone fanned out in accordance with the photographer’s instructions on where to stand. 

“Uh, excuse me,” the friendly voice of the photographer piped up somewhat confusedly, “Harry? Caitlin? I can’t get any pictures until you stop, you know. Blatantly making out.”

“Sorry,” Caitlin purred as she pulled back from Harry’s ever-irresistible lips. “Guess I couldn’t help myself.”

“Me neither,” Harry grinned.


	8. Epilogue: I wanna be the place you call your home

“Honey, I’m home!” Caitlin sang out as she closed the front door of their apartment by backing into it. 

Her arms were full of shopping bags, but Harry quickly appeared and relieved her of the burden, kissing her lips and saying warmly, “I’m so glad.”

“Me, too,” Caitlin enthused, slipping out of her shoes and sitting up on the countertop, flexing her tired toes. “I’ve been waiting all day for this. I just never really gets old, you know, coming home to someone….the someone I always wanted to see at the end of my days…coming home to you.”

Harry stepped nearer as she clasped his shirt collar, her legs automatically wrapping around him as they kissed again, more daringly this time. “Mmm, you’re right. Delicious,” Harry noted gruffly, making her spine tingle.

Since getting together, they’d alternated their hours at the lab so that one of them could go home a little earlier and start making dinner. Accordingly, a pot of tomato sauce bubbled on the stove. Harry reached behind him and gave it a stir, then set the wooden spoon down on a small plate and turned off the stove. “Sorry it’s spaghetti again. We promised we were going to expand our culinary repertoire, and the furthest I’ve gotten is…vodka sauce or marinara.”

“I don’t care, I love spaghetti,” Caitlin smiled, “I love _you._ ”

“Dr. Snow-Wells, you’ll make me blush,” Harry threatened. 

“Maybe hot and bothered is what I was going for,” she murmured suggestively, lifting her eyebrows and licking her lips. 

Harry’s eyes glowed and his generous lips curved in a special smile that was just for Caitlin. He ran his fingertip from her chin down to the low dip of her neckline, tracing her cleavage until she shivered in anticipation. “Anything in those bags that needs to go in the fridge or freezer?”

“Milk,” she said haltingly, held in thrall by his sexy stare. “Ice cream.”

“You got it,” he affirmed, rapidly turning around and placing the cold items where they belonged, just like the man on a mission that he truly was. 

“Bathtime,” Caitlin purred invitingly, slinking out of the room, feeling the heat of his eyes following her hips' sway.

She ran a nice, hot bubble bath and stripped down, sinking into the water with a happy sigh. Harry came in and started undressing as well, only to pause as he noticed the way she was staring, then how she buried half her face in her hands self-consciously.

“Snow, we’re married; you’ve seen me naked…a _lot_. How come you’re looking at me like it’s the first time?” Harry smiled because he liked it without understanding her reason. 

“Because,” Caitlin confessed, her eyes roving over him as she trembled with yearning within the foamy, lavender-scented bubbles. “I’m just never going to get over the way you look, Harry. And that’s that.”

He sat down in the tub behind her, pulling her wet body against him so that her back slid against his torso and his arms held her snugly. Kissing her ear and then removing the clip that held her curls in a loose updo, he started massaging her shoulders until she gave a low moan of satisfaction.

“Wanna hear another secret?” She asked as his fingers slipped down over her body, finding the moist, beckoning rounds of her breasts and cupping them while he pressed his lips into her neck, then bit down lightly, making her shiver. 

“I most certainly do,” Harry agreed contentedly, clearly liking the way her hand reached back and clasped his head as she turned her own to kiss him. “Mmm. Don’t leave me in suspense here.”

“I used to dream about this. At work. In supermarkets. Standing in parking lots and in the audiences of concerts. Letting my mind wander when I was watching t.v. or a movie. Fantasizing about you and me together, in this little domestic bliss bubble we’ve built.” Caitlin took a handful of bubbles and blew them in his face to illustrate the point. The foamy mist burst in midair, tickling their noses as they laughed and fell into each other yet again, Caitlin lifting her hips to straddle him as their kisses deepened.

“Me, too, and the best part is, there’s still so much of this ahead of us, Caitlin. I used to hate the future like it was my worst enemy, you know — tied with the past — but now it’s one of my favorite places.” Harry’s voice was thick with the kind of sentiment he’d long since stopped hesitating to share with her, the openness that entirely slayed her, made her realize all over again that she was earth-stoppingly in love with this man. Her husband.

“Only _one_ of your favorite places?” Caitlin inquired curiously.

“Yeah, you know. I think my number one, absolute favorite place is right here and now,” Harry revealed as she ruffled his hair, her slippery fingers stroking his back.

“Me, too.” Caitlin grinned irrepressibly. “Hey, so what do you want to do this weekend?” She kissed him a few more times, teasing him with the fact that their activity was making it hard to answer.

“Ahhh…I think let’s get in the car and just drive, Cait, see what we see, go wherever the road takes us. We have a nice history with that, don’t you think?”

“That we do,” she agreed, cupping his face in her hands and caressing his cheeks with her thumbs, following the beautiful lines of his cheekbones and dimples as he continued smiling, pure sunshine.

Well, maybe not entirely pure. His blue gaze glittered with adorable, sexy mischief as he added temptingly, “What do you say, Caitlin? Let’s go get lost.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fic title taken from the song "Let's Get Lost" by Carly Rae Jepsen


End file.
